“The Social Dilemma”: Addressing the issues with social media from a new angle

When I first saw Netflix’s new original documentary, “The Social Dilemma,” on their homepage, I was expecting yet another “social media is bad for your mental health” middle school-esque presentation. I was not expecting to take anything away from it, but I never pass up the opportunity to be educated.

“The Social Dilemma” explores how much social media controls our daily lives. And yes, that one presentation they gave you in seventh grade is right — the internet records and collects every single thing you do. This isn’t just another monotoned presenter telling you to be careful what you do online or that staring at a screen for hours everyday can hurt you. This film has single-handedly changed my perception of social media and the algorithms behind each platform.

“The Social Dilemma” interviews a cast of people that were or currently are working for large social media platforms, with the most prominent interviewee being Tristan Harris— a former Google Design Ethicist and now the co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology. Harris is dedicated to reversing what he believes to be damage caused by 21st century technology.

Most people are aware of cookies and ad personalization, but “The Social Dilemma” explains every aspect of it — your personal information being exchanged between companies like Instagram and Google, the algorithm of most social media platforms and the effects of those two variables when placed together.

Harris discusses whether or not technology is such a huge threat to society. He argues that technology itself isn’t the threat — but the ability to manipulate it is.

This manipulation Harris hopes to spread awareness ranges from influencing your opinion to bigger picture technological catastrophes, such as the Russian-orchestrated hacking of the 2016 presidential election.

While social media’s effects on mental health are referenced, “The Social Dilemma” goes in-depth about the algorithm behind most internet-based entertainment companies.

The level of personal invasion we unknowingly agree to is disturbing and has led me to thinking about the privacy I give up when I fall into the algorithmic trap of selling my personality back to me.

When companies sell you ads tailored to your thought process, it makes the user of the platform the product in which the organization makes money. The only reason social media works so well is because it convinces you to hand over your life to the company.

“The Social Dilemma” also discusses “fake news” and bent arguments in the media and how misinformation can spread like a forest fire — especially if influencers with strong opinions continue to fan the flame. Given that content presented to you is tethered to you and your beliefs, likes and morals, it can warp your grip on truth and feed you exactly what you want to be seeing.

The documentary has a fictional story line, following Ben, played by Skyler Gisondo, a high school student that falls into the social media trap. This plot adds to the film, further explaining and representing the audience in a relatable way. Paired with the amazing special effects and animation, “The Social Dilemma” has everything.

From the impressive graphics to the mind-blowing material and data, this documentary has led me to do a deep clean of my social media platforms. I deleted my Twitter, Snapchat, all my useless extra forms of communication, keeping only my Instagram and Facebook. My goal is to limit my social media usage to one hour a day, and I highly encourage you to do the same — and watch “The Social Dilemma,” of course.