In a phone call following the 2020 election, Donald Trump pressured Georgia’s Secretary of State to "find 11,780 votes" – a move which along with other alleged efforts to overturn the result led to criminal charges against Trump and some of his allies. Sarah’s there, and she’s been hearing about legal cases over who can and can’t vote, as well as from Trump supporters who already have doubts about the reliability of the result. She, Anthony, and Marianna discuss whether we could see similar events to those that led to the Jan 6 riots. Plus, what are social media companies doing, and not doing, to try to prevent disinformation. HOSTS: • Marianna Spring, Social Media and Disinformation Correspondent • Sarah Smith, North America Editor Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent GET IN TOUCH: • Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB • Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480 • Email Americast@bbc.co.uk • Or use #Americast This episode was made by Chris Flynn and Catherine Fusillo in London, and Purvee Pattni and Claire Betzer in the US. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app. You can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers. US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155 Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including The Global Story, The Today Podcast, and of course Newscast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below. The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd The Today Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm
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Hey Amer Casters.
It's getting very close to the big US election and before we get going with the podcast properly, I just wanted to let you know we're making daily episodes at the moment, taking the AmericasT Pop up podcast studio on the road every single day all the way until election night and I suspect quite a long way beyond as well.
And I know you Americasters are a smart bunch, but in case you, like me, didn't know, if you want to be notified as soon as new episodes drop in our podcast feed, please make sure you are subscribed to AmericasT on BBC Sounds and have push notifications turned on on your phone settings.
That way Marianna, Sarah, Anthony and I will land onto your phone as soon as it's ready.
Just what you have always wanted.
Anyway, here's today's episode.
Enjoy.
BBC Sounds Music Radio Podcasts I've been.
Thinking a lot about fast food burger and fries mostly, to be honest.
Now that's because I'm on the road and that's because it makes an almost constant diet and it's addictive.
But also I think it's because I just can't stop seeing online those shots of Donald Trump serving the burgers, frying up the French fries.
I mean, admittedly to a very hand picked crowd of McDonald's customers, but I think it must be seeping into all of our subconsciouses because the news that the Trump campaign is accusing the UK Labour Party of election interference doesn't sound a lot like it's got anything to do with fast food.
But when Anthony and I were talking about it the other day, this is what he said.
I mean, I can't emphasize enough how much of, at least legally speaking, a nothing burger this is.
What is a nothing burger, Anthony?
It's what it sounds like.
It's a burger that has nothing in it.
The opposite of, I guess, a burger of a something burger.
You take your pick.