The Social Dilemma - The Technology connects us also control us
Duration : 1 hour 34 minutes (94 minutes), Rated : PG-13, Language : English
Year of Release : 2020 Genre : Documentary Film
“Filmmaker Jeff Orlowski potently illustrates the dark side of social media in a creative way. Definitely an eye-opening + sobering film, even downright terrifying at times, which a good a cautionary tale ought to do.”
- Ruth Maramis
Flix Chatter Film Blog
Tristan Harris, Former Google Design Ethicist
Soon after its release, immediately ‘Facebook’ attacked this film as ‘buries the substance in sensationalism’ indicates the nature of this investigative documentary film. The documentary film is a searing indictment of the perils of social media. Interspersed with the interviews of former Facebook, Google, Twitter and YouTube employees, this film explore the hidden dangers of social media. It also highlights how the algorithms are manipulative in nature; how the Google search engine is giving ‘unwanted’ search results based on our behavioural pattern; How ‘Facebook’ tempt us to take certain decisions about politics and public opinion based on their millions of unverified news feed and how the messaging applications like WhatsApp is used to spread ‘Fake News.’ In some places, it also enraged people and incited violence, even a mob lynching innocent people also quoted without any hype.
In one of the interviews, we learn how these machine-learning algorithms are tweaked and treat the people as ‘products’ instead of ‘customers’. Interestingly, we come to know that there are only two industries use the term as “users” – drug sellers and social media. The documentary also contains the interview with psychologists who caution us how the emerging social media addiction is as bad as ‘drug addict’ and its everlasting damage to our mind and body. Likewise, the documentary contains so many thought-provocking interviews. In between, it also contains some ‘dramatized portions’ to enhance the viewing pleasure of the audience. The admirable part of this film is its frank narration- unafraid of anyone, it clearly tells who does what and how it affects the world. Though occasionally lack a brisk narration, overall, it’s a must-watch documentary film for everyone.
By
Srini