The Social Dilemma (2020)

This week, my Principles of Social Media course viewed the documentary "The Social Dilemma" (2020). The Netflix film examines the harmful effects of social media on individuals and society, with a focus on how social media platforms are designed to capture user attention and influence thoughts and behaviors. In this business model, the users’ attention is the product that advertisers want to capture. The film includes interviews with former tech employees, showcases real news events linked to social media and follows a fictional family to illustrate its broader impact on society and everyday life. 

Photo from Wikipedia

The film follows a fictionalized narrative centered on a family with a teenage boy named Ben. During a family dinner, a rule is introduced prohibiting phones at the table, which leads to a challenge to see if the children can lock them away in a box for one week. Ben initially agrees to go a week without his phone, but he gives up after just three days. His decision was triggered by AI-driven notifications, including one informing him that his ex-girlfriend was in a new relationship. After returning to his phone, Ben struggles to regulate his usage, increasingly withdrawing from daily activities. He skips soccer practices, isolates himself in his room and disengages from school. 

The film uses a metaphorical device in which engineers inside Ben’s mind manipulate the content he sees, like the concept of emotions in Inside Out. However, rather than acting in his best interest, the engineers push out content to keep him scrolling. The engineers represent the algorithms and attention-grasping methods that social media platforms utilize. Eventually, Ben is influenced by social media content to attend a protest that escalates into violence. He gets caught in the middle of a physical altercation and is arrested. 

Throughout the film, one of Ben’s friends recognizes his growing dependence on social media and repeatedly encourages him to disconnect. In the final scenes, she attends the protests to find Ben but is also detained. The film concludes with both characters being taken into custody, leaving their futures up to the viewer’s interpretation. 

A key takeaway from this film is the extent to which social media can affect users both directly and indirectly. As illustrated through Ben’s experience, excessive use can contribute to negative mental health and strain personal relationships. This film serves as a reminder to approach social media with greater awareness. It highlights that turning to social media during periods of high stress and anxiety may not be an effective solution. For individuals who have grown up during the rise of social media, understanding the potential impacts has become increasingly important.