Did Lady Chatterley’s Lover corrupt wives and servants?
Ben takes Rich back to the landmark case study of a book that was accused of changing the world forever by containing descriptions of sex and swearwords. Join us for a 150-year history of obscenity la...
28 Mar 20241min
Can YouTube turn you into a Flat Earther?
Can the YouTube algorithm really turn you into a Flat Earther, or some other kind of radical conspiracy theorist? Rich takes Ben on a journey through terrible poetry, evangelical newsletters and 9/11 ...
14 Mar 20241h 14min
Did Child’s Play 3 turn kids into killers?
When two children murdered toddler James Bulger in 1993, the British media lost their damn minds and tried to blame a horror video. Rich tells Ben that this argument really started a decade earlier wi...
29 Feb 20241h 31min
Does Barbie give girls eating disorders?
Barbie has been accused of a lot over the last 7 decades, but her most enduring criticism is that she sets unrealistic beauty standards for young girls. Ben talks Rich through the curious history of B...
29 Feb 20241h 27min
Trailer ILL EFFECTS - Series 1
Welcome to ILL EFFECTS - the good podcast about bad media influences. Can a horror film turn kids into killers? Can music make you more productive? Can a video game cause dangerous driving? Dr Rich Mc...
26 Feb 20241min
