Netflix ‘The Social Dilemma’ – Simultaneous Utopia & Dystopia

 

The social Dilemma a 93 min Netflix documentary drama which combines real-life interviews directed by Jeff Orlowski debuted Sept. 9, 2020 has placed audiences in the ultimate social dilemma by streaming. Social media has always been under controversy over privacy concerns and issues surrounding the handling of users’ data. This documentary drama added more fuel to already existing fire. The interviewees include former employees of Google, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and other internet giants who talk about the global social monster they helped create. These interviewees explain how audiences have become a pawn in the game between social media and advertisers. They further stated that everything audiences are doing online is being watched, tracked, and measured. The documentary drama blames that it is audience who unwittingly created this social monster. 

Recently, Facebook criticized this documentary drama as Distorted and Sensationalist by publishing seven point responses as follows 

1. Every internet company uses algorithms even Netflix to determine who it thinks should watch ‘The Social Dilemma’ film, and then recommends it to them. So portraying algorithms as ‘mad’ may make good fodder for conspiracy documentaries, but the reality is a lot less entertaining. 
2. Facebook is an ads-supported platform, which means that selling ads allows us to offer everyone else the ability to connect for free. This model allows small businesses and entrepreneurs to grow and compete with bigger brands by more easily finding new customers. But even when businesses purchase ads on Facebook, they don’t know who you are. We provide advertisers with reports about the kinds of people who are seeing their ads and how their ads are performing, but we don’t share information that personally identifies you unless you give us permission. We don't sell your information to anyone. You can always see the ‘interests’ assigned to you in your ad preferences, and if you want, remove them. 
3. Facebook has policies that prohibit businesses from sending sensitive data on people such as users’ health info or Social Security numbers through Facebook’s business tools. 
4. Facebook argued that polarization and populism have existed long before Facebook and other online platforms were created and we consciously take steps within the product to manage and minimize the spread of this kind of content. An overwhelming majority of content that people see on Facebook is not polarizing or even political. It also said that it removed over 22 million pieces of hate speech in the second quarter of 2020, over 94% of which it found before someone reported it. 
5. Facebook has acknowledged that they had made mistakes in 2016. Yet the film leaves out what we have done since 2016 to build strong defenses to stop people from using Facebook to interfere in elections. In 2018, Facebook created the Ad Library which makes all ads running on Facebook visible to people, even if they didn’t see the ad in their own feed. 
6. Facebook argued that the idea that we allow misinformation to fester on our platform, or that we somehow benefit from this content, is wrong. Facebook claimed that it is the only major social media platform with a global network of more than 70 fact-checking partners, who review content in different languages around the world. 
7. Facebook claims its News Feed product teams are not incentivized to build features that increase time spent on Facebook products. 

The documentary drama highlighted an awful picture encompassing the downsides of internet giants having easy access to the personal data of millions of users around the world. Privacy concerns and handling of users’ data by social media has always been hot potato. For instance, a lawsuit was filed against Instagram & Facebook for violation of the California Consumer Privacy Act or Cambridge Analytica scandal where the analytics firm had access to data of 87 million Facebook users, which included data of over half a million Indian users but this documentary drama has underline that it’s much more than privacy & data, these companies are vying for audiences attention. The idea that social media addiction isn't an unintended consequence, rather a well thought-out objective. Fascinated by the comfort of information at our ease, we sack to the perils of technology.