Synopsis:
The documentary shows the effect that a many companies, including Google, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter have over the public. The documentary examines the current state of social media platforms focusing on problems in the industry. The film includes conversations that tackle concepts in technology addiction. The documentary begins with introduction to the interviewees, each discussing the company they had previously worked for and their role within. Most of these individuals left their companies due to ethical concerns. Each person goes over their concerns with social media. Additionally, the documentary has a dramatization that provides insight into the workings of the technology that powers social media. Social media has many beneficial qualities such as connection across long distances, gaining knowledge, and even finding organ donors for some. However, user data can be used to build models to predict user actions and how companies keep user attention to maximize the profit from advertisements. The film then dives into the manipulation techniques used by social media companies to addict their users and the psychology that is leveraged to achieve this end. The film debates that this often leads to increased depression and increased suicide rates among teens and young adults. The documentary also touches upon how user actions on online platforms are watched, tracked, measured, monitored, and recorded.
Questions:
- How is social media impacting your life?
- How can you take a step back from social media use?
- In a scene a boy tries to not use his phone for one week. Do you think you could do that? Why or Why not?
- When do you think you use your phone the most?