This Halloween, reality is serving up plenty of scares

Fears that Twitter will increasingly become a platform that peddles unaccountable disinformation and hate speech appear to be well-founded, writes Harriet Williamson

On Sunday, Musk shared an entirely baseless conspiracy theory about the assault on Paul Pelosi (AFP via Getty)

What’s scaring you most this Halloween? I’m willing to bet that it isn’t ghosts or a bloody slasher flick or even the prospect of having to interact with your neighbour’s sugar-hyped offspring.

For many households, the scariest thing is opening your gas and electricity bill. Or any bill, really. The squeeze on living standards is affecting millions of people across the UK, and supermarket essentials are becoming more expensive, driving up the price of the weely shop. Food prices are rising at the fastest rate for 42 years – that’s enough to frighten anyone.

For renters like me, it’s terrifying to think that your landlord could decide to kick you out any time in a “no-fault eviction” or, when you’re looking to renew your tenancy, could decide to hike your rent so that you’re forced to move (again).