2.09 Social Dilemma Part 2

Today's lesson:  the second half of The Social Dilemma: 

available on Netflix, 

Youtube,

or watchdocumentaries.com 

Social Dilemma

To explore the increasingly influential role that social media has, we will watch a documentary called The Social Dilemma.  

As you watch, think about the dynamic between nature and nurture and how social media interacts with that.  Look for ways that society is shaped by social media.

Film Summary

The Social Dilemma is a 2020 American docudrama that explores the rise of social media and the damage it has caused to society, focusing on its exploitation of its users for financial gain through surveillance capitalism and data mining, how its design is meant to nurture an addiction, its use in politics, its effect on mental health (including the mental health of adolescents and rising teen suicide rates), and its role in spreading conspiracy theories such as Pizzagate and aiding groups such as flat-earthers.

A Note About Film Structure
There are three distinct settings in the documentary:

• Real people from tech industry discussing social media and their first-hand knowledge/experience.
• A drama used to show an average family and how social media affects them.
• A dark room with three people which simulates the artificial intelligence at play behind the scenes.

Resources 

Here is the website for the documentary.

Here is a full unedited transcript of the documentary from the website "scraps from the loft"

Here is my viewing guide which includes how to watch the documentary, what to do about it and the transcript edited down to important parts.

Here is a trailer available on Youtube, embedded below: