What in the World

It’s no surprise more people want to become influencers - a study found that in 2024, YouTube content creators alone contributed £2.2bn to the UK’s economy. But… would you pay thousands to study how to be one?
A growing number of universities around the world, like Arizona State University in the US, have started offering Content Creation courses. We hear from Martyna who is currently studying BA Content Creation at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.
So are these courses the best way to become an influencer? Or are they more about training to go into a career in online marketing?
BBC journalist Megan Lawton takes us through the stats and Daanish (@doctordaanish), a medical doctor and influencer, gives us his take on these degrees.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Chelsea Coates
Video Producer: Tim Hodges
Editor: Emily Horler

There’s just SOMETHING not quite right about that French influencer we’re seeing all over socials. His blonde bob, the suit he wears, and that moustache! His name is Jean Philanthrope, and his videos have wracked up millions of views. But, it turns out, he’s not real. He’s AI and he’s being used to promote a risky type of crypto called a Meme coin.
We speak to BBC Verify’s Marco Silva about how he investigates characters like this, how they work, and what you can do to keep yourself safe from falling for this kind of content. Artist and performer Nadir Josi also tells us his concerns about the ‘copy and paste culture’ of the internet, and what it means for the future of art.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mollie Perella
Editors: Emily Horler

Last week, Christa Pike, a death row inmate in the US faced execution via lethal injection for a murder she committed in 1995. But after she was given two full doses of the drug pentobarbital, she survived. At the time of uploading this podcast, she remains awake in hospital and it’s unclear what went wrong with the attempted execution.
We hear the details from BBC reporters in the US, who have been covering this story including Brandon Drenon, Kayla Epstein and Nada Tawfik.
Not long after Pike’s recovery, the US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced that an execution by firing squad in Fort Hood, Texas will be livestreamed to the public for the first time. The man on death row is Nidal Hasan, a former US Army major and he shot dead 13 unarmed US soldiers in 2009.
What does this all mean for the future of the death penalty in the US?
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates and Benita Barden
Editor: Emily Horler

January isn’t the only time for new year’s resolutions anymore. The end of the year is having a moment too - as part of the great lock-in trend. There’s lots of content online about locking in for the last four months of the year - whether that’s working out more regularly, spending less time on your phone, or trying to get that promotion at work.
Some people call it a winter arc, a September reset or the fresh-start effect - why have so many of us decided this is the perfect time for self-improvement? And is striving for optimisation all the time necessarily a good thing?
We hear from Adeja Shivonne, a lifestyle content creator based in New York City, who shares how her great lock-in is going. And BBC journalist Melissa Hogenboom explains what the science says about how to successfully set new goals - and stick to them.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Chelsea Coates
Video Producer: Tim Hodges
Editor: Emily Horler

Film and TV show spoilers often come with a warning because people know they can be annoying. But when it comes to footage from concerts and gigs… those rules don’t really apply, as Olivia Rodrigo fans found out when clips of a surprise moment from her ‘Unraveled Tour’ went viral on socials.
You might have saved up for a ticket to see your favourite artist, found the perfect outfit and be counting down the days to the big show, but the chances are that you’ll know what’s going to happen way before you get there. Fan clips of all the biggest moments, the surprises and the special guests are usually shared everywhere online and difficult to avoid. If you’ve been to a concert recently, you might have found it irritating if people are filming huge chunks of the show in front of you. Some artists like Phoebe Bridgers, are even banning phones from their concerts.
We ask if gig spoilers ruin the surprise or actually add to the excitement. And, if they’re not for you, what can you do to avoid them when you’re online? We speak to BBC journalist Riyah Collins who has been looking into this and ask music fans from Nigeria, Australia and the UK what they think.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams
Editor: Emily Horler