• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / Arts, Culture and Sport / BBC deletes controversial ‘faking it’ social media post
A woman's face with computer-generated images projected onto it

BBC deletes controversial ‘faking it’ social media post

By John Pring on 19th August 2021 Category: Arts, Culture and Sport

Listen

The BBC has deleted a social media post that caused widespread anger among disabled campaigners for suggesting that some people with chronic illness were “faking” their health conditions on social media for “fame and money”.

The tweet linked to a documentary, Sickness and Lies, which claimed to explore “accusations of fakery” that have been directed at some disabled people with high profiles on social media.

The documentary (pictured), and the way it was promoted by BBC News on social media, were described as “wildly irresponsible”, with the BBC accused of spreading “harmful rhetoric”.

Now a BBC News tweet that asked if some “chronic illness influencers” were “faking it on social media for fame and money” has been removed by the BBC, although a link to the documentary remains, and the programme itself remains available to watch online.

A spokesperson for BBC News and Current Affairs told Disability News Service: “The original tweet does not reflect the full context of the programme and was removed.”

He said the BBC retained the link in the tweet because this followed its Twitter correction policy.

But he refused to say if the BBC had taken any further action, apart from removing the tweet, in response to the anger shown by disabled people about the documentary.

He also said the BBC did not comment on whether complaints have been made about programmes, other than through a fortnightly bulletin listing those programmes that have been subjected to more than 100 complaints.

The latest bulletin had not been published by 11am today (Thursday).

Last week, disabled writer Karl Knights said he believed the programme was “wildly irresponsible” and “downright dangerous” and “contributes to a culture where disabled people are constantly interrogated, always under suspicion”.

Catherine Hale, director of the disabled people’s organisation Chronic Illness Inclusion, said last week that the programme had been “edited, framed and trailed to perpetuate populist preoccupations with illness and disability faking, not to challenge it”.

Meanwhile, more than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling on the BBC to remove the documentary from its website.

 

A note from the editor:

Please consider making a voluntary financial contribution to support the work of DNS and allow it to continue producing independent, carefully-researched news stories that focus on the lives and rights of disabled people and their user-led organisations.

Please do not contribute if you cannot afford to do so, and please note that DNS is not a charity. It is run and owned by disabled journalist John Pring and has been from its launch in April 2009.

Thank you for anything you can do to support the work of DNS…

Share this post:

Share on X (Twitter)Share on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on RedditShare on LinkedIn

Tags: BBC BBC News chronic illness Sickness and Lies

A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Related

Young disabled people will ‘earn or learn’ or lose their benefits, Kendall’s unpublished comments suggest
5th December 2024
The truth about Liz Kendall’s BBC mental health wards work coach claim
5th December 2024
Concern over Kendall’s ‘truly chilling’ assisted suicide comment
21st November 2024

Primary Sidebar

On the left of the image are multiple heads of different colours - white, aqua, red, light brown, and dark green - all grouped together, then the words ‘Campaign for Disability Justice. Sign up to support. #OpportunitySecurityRespect’
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Access

Latest Stories

‘Disastrous’ cuts bill that leaves legacy of distrust and distress ‘must be dropped’

Four disabled Labour MPs stand up to government over cuts to disability benefits

Silence from MP sister of Rachel Reeves over suicide linked to PIP flaws, just as government was seeking cuts

Disabled people receiving care were ‘ignored by design’ during the pandemic, Covid inquiry hears

Disabled activists warn Labour MPs who vote for cuts: ‘The gloves will be off’

GB News says it has nothing to apologise for, after guest suggests starving disabled benefit claimants

SEND inspections find services in just one in four areas usually lead to ‘positive’ outcomes for disabled children

Disabled MP who quit government over benefit cuts tells DNS: ‘The consequences will be devastating’

Disabled peers plan to ‘amend, amend, amend, amend, amend’ after assisted dying bill reaches Lords

Minister finally admits that working-age benefits spending is stable, despite months of ‘spiralling’ claims

Advice and Information

Readspeaker
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Threads
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web