The Social Dilemma (2020) on Netflix
PG-1320201h 34mDocumentaryDrama
Tech insiders explain how social platforms are built to hold attention. A family feels the effects: Ben's use deepens, Isla's self-esteem drops, and Cassandra has no phone of her own.
- Netflix4.0/5
- IMDb7.6/1095,137 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes85%
Trailer
Plot summary
Interviews with people who worked inside large technology companies are woven together with a dramatized story about an American family. The interviewees describe persuasive design, data collection and algorithms built to predict behavior, and the goals they say drive the platforms: engagement, growth and advertising. At home, Ben's scrolling grows, Isla is upset by the beauty standards she sees online, and Cassandra has no phone of her own. Their mother and stepfather try to limit screen time without understanding what they are up against. Behind the screens, artificial intelligences named for Engagement, Growth and Advertising work to keep users on the apps and see them as depersonalized avatars.
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Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Social Dilemma (2020)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Facebook pushed back on the film in a statement on its About page, saying The Social Dilemma "gives a distorted view of how social media platforms work to create a convenient scapegoat for what are difficult and complex societal problems".
