As I wrote this movie review of Netflix “The Social Dilemma,” I immediately reflected on my decision to create a Facebook business page for A Reel Cinema @ Home. Seven days ago I didn’t have a personal or Facebook business page. Now I have both. To prevent fraud, Facebook doesn’t allow users to have a business page without a personal page. After watching this movie, I am seriously considering deleting both accounts I just created seven days ago. The dilemma becomes if I don’t post movie reviews on social media, how do I reach movie review and home theater fans. Did I make the right decision creating an account? Watching this movie affirms I did not.
Netflix’s “The Social Dilemma” rightfully states “Nothing enters the life of mortals without a curse.” The movie’s startling message blends interviews with scenarios on how social media platforms cause depression, suicide, violence, radicalization as well as influences elections. Social media’s artificial intelligence has created more group think as people naturally want to fit in and belong to something bigger than themselves.
The movie starts with interviews of Silicon Valley platform developers from all the big social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Apple, Google, and Pinterest. The developers all agree social media was initially created as a positive medium to connect family, friends, and former classmates. Now the same developers preach social media has dissolved into humanities greatest problem. The movie’s dire warning states less than 50 tech developers influence what two billion people think, feel, believe, and eat daily.
It is alarming to hear the same Silicon Valley tech employees who developed some of the greatest functions of these platforms sounding the alarm about the perils of social media. They now discourage sharing personal information and family photos on social platforms for their profit. Users personal information allows artificial intelligence to suggest videos and posts to change, alter, or reinforce societal and political views the algorithm determines you should have. Did you catch that knowledge bomb? The algorithm determines the views you should have and then manipulates what you see. The manipulation of user’s daily thoughts, beliefs, and behavior for profit is scary. Endless scrolling and constant notifications keep users engaged on the platform thus increasing profits.
“Never before in history have 50 designers made decisions that would have an impact on two billion people.”
Tristan Harris – Former Google Employee
Social media can become an addiction for users who seek a lot of attention, are obsessed with knowing what others are doing in life, or are lonely without real personal connections. The movie cautions not getting enough “Likes” or not having enough friends accept a request is causing discord in society. What developers believed to be small additions to the platforms such as “Like” buttons have caused suicide and depression in some lonely individuals. The movie implies social media is a digital pacifier for loneliness and boredom.
Personal data for profit is a curse. Data has become more valuable than oil. When you search Google, artificial intelligence notes everything you search, how long you look at a picture, and how many times you click on a specific person’s page. The goal of the platform’s algorithm is to keep users on the platform as long as possible to show you more ads to increase profits for the platform’s shareholders. The algorithm reacts to how you behave. The algorithm’s objective is to keep users on the platform. If users “Like” negative shit, then the algorithm will feed the user more negative shit to keep you engaged on the platform.
The movie underscores the algorithm controls what you see and effectively manages how you feel. More importantly, the movie stresses artificial intelligence knows everything about you but you know nothing about how your information is used to manipulate you. The main message is the algorithm has an unfair advantage, exploits human weaknesses, and alters normal human behavior by preying on users emotional triggers.
A moment in the film shows a mother attempting to encourage her family to have one meal without their cell phones. The mother places the son’s and daughters’ cellphones in a container with a timer that locks for one hour. Within seconds of sitting down at the kitchen table, the teen daughter gets a notification. The daughter is fixated on seeing what the notification is and from whom. Obsessed with the notification the daughter leaves the dinner table to immediately find a hammer to break free her cellphone from the locked container. She runs upstairs to continue her social media interaction without eating anything. Later in the film another moment shows the son becoming politically radicalized through messages, videos, and posts tailored to him by artificial intelligence. The developers interviewed for this film indicate they don’t allow their kids on ANY social media platforms. They also indicate children should not be allowed to have any social media accounts until age 16.
The movie indicates social media algorithms are the driver behind many “fake news” stories becoming viral. The movie warns artificial intelligence combined with social media is the cause of division, violence, and the collapse of democracy in most countries within six months. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter allow “fake news” to be spread uncontrolled via algorithms to increase time spent on the platforms.
The collapse of democracy in the United States is happening in December 2020 with mass division in America. The movie states what artificial intelligence allows you to see on social media is totally different from what it allows me to see. Former Facebook executive Tim Kendall declares his biggest short-term worry is “civil war.” Kendall warned “If we go down the status quo for, let’s say, another 20 years, we probably destroy our civilization through willful ignorance.” This is exactly what we are seeing in America during the month of December 2020 after the November presidential election.
Democracy is being destroyed because social media spreads “the election was stolen” disinformation. Artificial intelligence determines what people (who are otherwise normal and intelligent) see on their Facebook and Twitter feeds. What many MAGA followers read and believe about the election is determined by an algorithm that shows me something different. The 2020 US election was not stolen; however, artificial intelligence is influencing those who believe it was. A real-time example to show how social media initially was a blessing to democracy by encouraging the “Get Out the Vote” message. The same social media is also a curse on democracy by promoting the “Stop the Steal” message.
Watching this documentary drama should be a requirement before any social media account can be opened. We highly recommend every adult watch the movie “The Social Dilemma” to make an informed decision about how much time you spend online interacting with artificial intelligence. Each adult must determine how much they allow social media to influence their relationships, thoughts, and political views.
Home theater fans can access all our content via this website without social media if they choose to delete their social media accounts. Unfortunately, many movie and home theater fans will only read this movie review because of a link found on Facebook or Twitter. The irony is not missed as this movie review is being written. We post on social media because the audience for movie reviews and home theater information is on social media platforms.
The movie’s message is compelling in its warning about the influence of social media. “The Social Dilemma” movie argues I made the wrong decision by creating a Facebook account. I agree! Knowing it’s a wrong decision, I will keep my social media interactions to “just business.”
We strongly encourage A Reel Cinema @ Home fans to take time each day to interact with family and friends in-person. It is not important to have 1,000 Facebook friends. Real friends are better than Facebook friends. You only need one real friend to help you out when you need it the most. My grandmother used to say the true test of a friendship is moving. Move your home and see how many people show up to help you load the moving truck. When was the last time you moved and how many real “friends” showed up to help you?
Release Date: January 26, 2020
Runtime: 89 Minutes
Starring: Tristan Harris, Skyler Gisondo, Vincent Kartheiser
Genres: Documentary | Drama
Jeff Orlowski (Director, Writer) | Vickie Curits (Writer) | Davis Coombo (Writer)
