At the beginning of 2020, Netflix released a bunch of new TV series, movies, and documentaries, including the new documentary called The Social Dilemma. People from past tech companies, doctors, ex-employees, and authors of social media books discuss bad habits and the adverse effects that social media has on everyone. 

This movie intrigued me: past employees come together to tell different storie of how these huge tech companies treat their employees and what they did to hinder their voices. The toxic behaviors they mention throughout the documentary caught my attention because I see these habits daily. Almost everything they showed is relatable. So I’m confident that it relates to other people’s lives. It is 100% worth the watch, and I recommend it to fellow peers and anyone who uses social media. 

This movie shows the adverse effects that social media has on everyone around the world. Social media is extremely toxic. People will start thinking that it is OK to be in unhealthy situations because social media makes it seem like it is OK when it really isn’t. People online believe they can get away with different situations just because they’re behind a screen. Most toxic behaviors are from social media. People think they’re slick until something serious happens.

Online connections have become the primary source of connections between people, and it will be around forever. It is the only source of communication these days. These companies only have three goals: usage, growth, and advertising. 

Many described in the film that technology usage is extremely manipulative; tech companies just use you to get what they really want: money. The more ads are seen, the more money collected, dialing up more ads in certain places to get more activity. Everyone online is being tracked, measured, and recorded, gathering information on specific people to see what they enjoy watching vs. what they just scroll past. Doing this keeps people more active on the app and gives the producers more money. Social media markets have amassed trillions of dollars by doing this.

The younger generation especially gives their lives for social media. Advertisers target the younger generation with gossip, tweets, and snapbacks. Social media, in general, has ruined the way people think. It presents an unrealistic point of view of what the real world actually is. Yes, social media positives, like motivational quotes and staying in touch with people who live far away from you. Other than that, if you’re obsessed with it, it can be terrible for your mental health. 

This documentary told relevant information while staying focused on the topic of social media. They showed ex-employees telling their stories and giving opinions while also showing teens using social media, making the story enjoyable. Showing proof that teens/ users of social media all act the same way. Having the teens in the documentary made it more relatable to the younger generation. It showed a different perspective than just past workers telling the pros and cons of social media.

I feel like social media is toxic and can ruin the way you see yourself because I always compare myself to others online. It can be damaging to people who are insecure or see themselves in a negative light. This documentary shows all the different aspects of social media, and it was worth the watch. I got informed on things I didn’t even know about. I never saw social media to be as harmful as I did when I watched this. 

Documentary ‧ 1h 34m ‧  Netflix Original