The Social Dilemma

A response to The Social Dilemma

This documentary was illuminating on some of the technical aspects of how online activity is tracked, and how exactly that data is used. The way the film illustrated the boy being manipulated by his feed gave a perspective I have not seen very often. However, the issues the film addressed are not new to me, and the overall message is one I have heard for years. The film is very concerned about technology addiction and how it is affecting our lives especially in relation to social media. The solutions the tech experts offer range from muting unnecessary notifications to strictly limiting your time with your phone and other devices. These are the same kind of statements I have heard from teachers, parents, news sources, and supposed professionals for most of my life. The distinguishing characteristic of this film is not the message but who is saying it. While I appreciate what these experts are saying, I don’t think I am their target audience. I am very aware that everything I do on the internet is being tracked and most of it is getting sold to someone, and rather than avoiding technologies like social media, I do my best to make their algorithms work in my favor, as well as employing some strategies similar to ones they offered. The family used as an example seemed strangely outdated in several ways, but particularly in the way that the integration of phones into their lives is presented as a recent development. The message of this film seems to be directed towards people who didn’t grow up with social media, and for whom the saturation of the internet in their daily lives is a recent development as opposed to the status quo.