The Social Dilemma
Anyone who uses Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other social networking sites knows that it can be addictive and frightening. Conscientious defectors from these companies show that the perniciousness of social networking platforms is a feature, not a bug, in Jeff Orlowski's documentary "The Social Dilemma." They believe that these businesses are programmed with Machiavellian precision to manipulate human behavior for profit: Consumers are kept constantly engaged by infinite scrolling and push notifications; tailored recommendations use data not just to anticipate but also to influence our actions, making users easy prey for advertisers and propagandists. Thanks in large part to Netflix's new documentary "The Social Dilemma," people are starting to realize the dangers of modern social networking platforms. Former employees of today's main social media networks are interviewed in the film. Many of those were instrumental in the e...