What I’ve Learned So Far from The Social Dilemma
What I’ve Learned So Far from The Social Dilemma
Last Tuesday in my social media class, we started watching The Social Dilemma, a 2020 docudrama directed by Jeff Orlowski. The film is available on Netflix and focuses on the negative effects social media can have on users. What makes it different from a typical documentary is that it mixes real interviews with a fictional storyline about a family, showing how social media influences everyday life in a more personal and relatable way. It also includes insights from former employees at major companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, which adds a strong sense of credibility and makes the message feel more trustworthy.
Even though we are only halfway through the film, it has already changed the way I think about social media. One of the biggest things that stood out to me is how open and honest the former employees are. These are people who helped create and grow these platforms, and now they are speaking out about the negative side of them. Instead of continuing to work behind the scenes, they are choosing to explain how these systems actually work and why they are so difficult for users to step away from. That perspective made the film more impactful because it is coming directly from insiders who understand the design process.
One person who really stood out to me was Tristan Harris, who previously worked at Google as a design ethicist. He explains how social media platforms are intentionally designed to keep users engaged for as long as possible. This includes tracking small details, like how long someone looks at a post or how often they return to an app. Something that surprised me was when he said he feels most addicted to Gmail. That is not something I expected, since most people usually think of apps like Instagram or TikTok first. He also mentioned that even though he understands how these platforms are built, he still gets caught up in them, which shows how powerful their influence really is on users.
Overall, I think The Social Dilemma does a great job of showing what goes on behind social media. Hearing directly from people who have worked at these companies makes the message feel more honest and eye-opening. So far, it has definitely made me more aware of how often I use my phone and how these platforms are designed to constantly grab and hold my attention, sometimes without me even realizing it.
What I’ve Learned So Far from The Social Dilemma
Last Tuesday in my social media class, we started watching The Social Dilemma, a 2020 docudrama directed by Jeff Orlowski. The film is available on Netflix and focuses on the negative effects social media can have on users. What makes it different from a typical documentary is that it mixes real interviews with a fictional storyline about a family, showing how social media influences everyday life in a more personal and relatable way. It also includes insights from former employees at major companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, which adds a strong sense of credibility and makes the message feel more trustworthy.
Even though we are only halfway through the film, it has already changed the way I think about social media. One of the biggest things that stood out to me is how open and honest the former employees are. These are people who helped create and grow these platforms, and now they are speaking out about the negative side of them. Instead of continuing to work behind the scenes, they are choosing to explain how these systems actually work and why they are so difficult for users to step away from. That perspective made the film more impactful because it is coming directly from insiders who understand the design process.
One person who really stood out to me was Tristan Harris, who previously worked at Google as a design ethicist. He explains how social media platforms are intentionally designed to keep users engaged for as long as possible. This includes tracking small details, like how long someone looks at a post or how often they return to an app. Something that surprised me was when he said he feels most addicted to Gmail. That is not something I expected, since most people usually think of apps like Instagram or TikTok first. He also mentioned that even though he understands how these platforms are built, he still gets caught up in them, which shows how powerful their influence really is on users.
Overall, I think The Social Dilemma does a great job of showing what goes on behind social media. Hearing directly from people who have worked at these companies makes the message feel more honest and eye-opening. So far, it has definitely made me more aware of how often I use my phone and how these platforms are designed to constantly grab and hold my attention, sometimes without me even realizing it.
Last Tuesday in my social media class, we started watching The Social Dilemma, a 2020 docudrama directed by Jeff Orlowski. The film is available on Netflix and focuses on the negative effects social media can have on users. What makes it different from a typical documentary is that it mixes real interviews with a fictional storyline about a family, showing how social media influences everyday life in a more personal and relatable way. It also includes insights from former employees at major companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, which adds a strong sense of credibility and makes the message feel more trustworthy.
Even though we are only halfway through the film, it has already changed the way I think about social media. One of the biggest things that stood out to me is how open and honest the former employees are. These are people who helped create and grow these platforms, and now they are speaking out about the negative side of them. Instead of continuing to work behind the scenes, they are choosing to explain how these systems actually work and why they are so difficult for users to step away from. That perspective made the film more impactful because it is coming directly from insiders who understand the design process.
One person who really stood out to me was Tristan Harris, who previously worked at Google as a design ethicist. He explains how social media platforms are intentionally designed to keep users engaged for as long as possible. This includes tracking small details, like how long someone looks at a post or how often they return to an app. Something that surprised me was when he said he feels most addicted to Gmail. That is not something I expected, since most people usually think of apps like Instagram or TikTok first. He also mentioned that even though he understands how these platforms are built, he still gets caught up in them, which shows how powerful their influence really is on users.
Overall, I think The Social Dilemma does a great job of showing what goes on behind social media. Hearing directly from people who have worked at these companies makes the message feel more honest and eye-opening. So far, it has definitely made me more aware of how often I use my phone and how these platforms are designed to constantly grab and hold my attention, sometimes without me even realizing it.
Comments
Post a Comment