Have you ever gone on your phone to just quickly reply to someone and found yourself spending hours scrolling through your social media feed without even realising it?
Have you ever deleted a post from your social media because it did not receive enough ‘likes’ or ‘comments’?
The Social Dilemma is a Netflix documentary that was released in August 2020 and proved extremely popular. It aims to show the power social media has over people across the world and the use of social media to push political agendas by spreading fake news and misinformation. I was aware of many of the negative effects of social media platforms, but watching this documentary still gave me goosebumps because I was hearing from the people on the inside – people who worked in the huge tech companies and helped design and develop the algorithms that draw you in.
This 93-minute film is fascinating, engaging and informative. It shows how social media, when used for the worse, can manipulate people and elections, disrupting the functioning of society. The documentary cited the example of how algorithms and AI technology observe human behaviour and manipulate people into believing the information they see on their social media feed, whether it is fake news surrounding the ongoing pandemic or flat-Earth conspiracy theories.
Today, social media users are being manipulated by media companies and advertisers so the corporations can make a profit. Our social media feeds are so personalised now – we relate to the ads we see and so we spend more and more time on social media, watching more videos and following more people with the same views. As a result, we are bombarded with the information that the algorithms feed us.
The film is a perfect mix of fiction and fact. It depicts an American family where the kids are being influenced by the misinformation spread on social media alongside real-life interviews with people who have worked for social media companies and developed many of the features we see on social media platforms today. The documentary shows how, even though social networks were created with positive intentions, to connect family and friends, these same forums are now being used as a weapon by some, from setting beauty standards to putting forward a political agenda.
Social media has become such a big part of life today. It is where many of us get our news from and a place where we seek validation. While we can blame social media platforms for influencing our thoughts and opinions to an extent, we too are responsible. We have allowed ads and notifications to alter our attitudes. The Social Dilemma attempts to raise awareness of the harmful effects of social media and highlights the increasing power it has over our lives. It is up to us whether we choose to use social media positively and constructively – the way it was created to be used – or allow it to control and influence our behaviour.