Yielding to the big star pressure of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, this week Spotify agreed to put a content advisory label on any podcast that includes material about Covid. Mitchell and Young removed their music in protest at Joe Rogan’s podcasts. These shows are extremely popular globally but they aired views sceptical of Covid vaccines. In an Instagram post Rogan himself said he'd aim for more impartiality in future, but Spotify’s shares are down and more artists are joining the boycott. Who is responsible for the content of Spotify or any other digital platform? Is Covid a special case or must they remove or add a warning about anything any listeners might object to? Is it enough to say sorry or offer to slap on a "contentious material" label? At what point do such safeguards become censorship?And what about other, more traditional, intermediaries? This week the poet and teacher Kate Clanchy said she considered suicide after parting company with her publisher. She’d been accused of racism in the words she used about pupils in her memoir Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me. The students have defended her in print and Clanchy has apologised. And yet the debate goes on. Are publishers morally responsible for their authors ideas and beliefs? If the publisher or internet platform truly disagrees with the material, is it enough to issue an apology or label the offending material as contentious? And does intent count at all? With Journalist Brendan O'Neill, Academic Julie Posetti, Broadcaster Inaya Folarin Iman and Poet Anthony Anaxagorou.

Political commentators and writers Inaya Folarin Iman and Ella Whelan join Tom Slater for a spiked podcast election special. They discuss Labour's victory, Reform revolt, Islamic sectarianism, Tory and SNP failures.

Join Inaya Folarin Iman, a commentator on societal issues, and Tom Slater, a media critic, alongside Fraser Myers, a political analyst, as they discuss the complicated case of Huw Edwards and the leniency in sentencing for child sexual abuse imagery. They dive into the clash between ideology and trauma care for survivors impacted by trans activism. Brendan O’Neill, exploring his new book on crises in civilization, addresses the fallout of misinformation related to a violent incident in Southport. Batya Ungar-Sargon adds depth with her insights on media narratives.

Inaya Folarin Iman, a commentator focused on identity politics and multiculturalism, joins Tom Slater and Fraser Myers to delve into the recent riots in Britain. They discuss the rise of white identity politics and its role in societal violence. The conversation critiques political censorship and its effects on free speech while urging a nuanced understanding of multicultural dynamics. Iman reflects on how racial consciousness is evolving in white communities and warns of the dangers of divisive narratives, advocating for unity in addressing community tensions.

Exploring the moral dilemmas of assisted dying, the podcast delves into the profound questions of living and dying well. It raises concerns about suffering, dignity, and autonomy in end-of-life decisions. The panel debates whether compassion trumps the risks of pressured decision-making. Should we allow assisted dying when life becomes unbearable?