The Social Dilemma (2020)
Coming Out at September 9, 2020 on Netflix
Documentary, Drama
The world has long recognized the positive applications of social media, from its role in empowering protesters to speak out against oppression during the Arab Spring uprisings almost a decade ago, to serving an instrumental role in fighting for equity and justice today. And in 2020, during an astonishing global pandemic, social media has become our lifeline to stay in touch with loved ones, as well as proving to be an asset for mobilizing civil rights protests. However, the system that connects us also invisibly controls us. The collective lack of understanding about how these platforms actually operate has led to hidden and often harmful consequences to society—consequences that are becoming more and more evident over time, and consequences that, the subjects in The Social Dilemma suggest, are an existential threat to humanity.
The Social Dilemma is a powerful exploration of the disproportionate impact that a relatively small number of engineers in Silicon Valley have over the way we think, act, and live our lives. The film deftly tackles an underlying cause of our viral conspiracy theories, teenage mental health issues, rampant misinformation and political polarization, and makes these issues visceral, understandable, and urgent. Through a unique combination of documentary investigation and entertaining narrative drama, award-winning filmmakers Jeff Orlowski and Larissa Rhodes have once again exposed the invisible in a manner that is both enlightening and harrowing as they disrupt the disrupters by unveiling the hidden machinations behind everyone’s favorite social media and search platforms.
Director: Jeff Orlowski
Writers: Davis Coombe, Vickie Curtis,
Stars: Skyler Gisondo, Kara Hayward, Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson, Joe Toscano, Sandy Parakilas
►Cast
| Tristan Harris | → | Google, Former Design Ethicist / Center for Humane Society, Co-Founder |
| Jeff Seibert | → | Twitter, Former Executive / Serial Tech Entrepreneur |
| Bailey Richardson | → | Instagram, Early Team |
| Joe Toscano | → | Google, Former Experience Design Consultant / Author – Automating Humanity |
| Sandy Parakilas | → | Facebook, Former Operations Manager / Uber, Former Product Manager |
| Guillaume Chaslot | → | YouTube, Former Engineer / IntuitiveAI, CEO / AlgoTransparency, Founder |
| Lynn Fox | → | Apple, Former Director of Corporate PR / Google, Former Corporate Communications |
| Aza Raskin | → | Firefox & Mozilla Labs, Former Employee / Center for Humane Technology, Co-Founder / Inventor, Infinite Scroll |
| Alex Roetter | → | Twitter, Former Senior VP of Engineering |
| Tim Kendall | → | Facebook, Former Executive / Pinterest, Former President / Moment, CEO |
| Justin Rosenstein | → | Facebook, Former Engineer / Google, Former Engineer / Asana, Co-Founder |
| Randy Fernando | → | NVIDIA, Former Product Manager / Mindful Schools, Former Executive Director / Center for Humane Society, Co-Founder |
| Jaron Lanier | → | Founding Father of Virtual Reality / Computer Scientist |
| Roger McNamee | → | Facebook, Early Investor / Venture Capitalist |
| Shoshana Zuboff | → | Harvard Business School, Professor Emeritus / Author, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism |
| Anna Lembke | → | Stanford University, School of Medicine, Medical Director of Addiction Medicine |
| James Fetter | → | Anna’s Son |
| Mary Fetter | → | Anna’s Daughter |
| Jonathan Haidt | → | NYU Stern School of Business, Social Psychologist / Author, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion |
| Cathy O’Neil | → | Data Scientist / Author, Weapons of Math Destruction (as Cathy O’Neil Ph.D.) |
| Rashida Richardson | → | NYU School of Law, Adjunct Professor / A.I. Now Institute, Director of Policy Research |
| Renee DiResta | → | Stanford Internet Observatory, Research Manager / Data for Democracy, Former Head of Policy (as Renée DiResta) |
| Cynthia M. Wong | → | Human Rights Watch, Former Senior Internet Researcher |
| Vic Alejandro | → | Police Officer |
| Oner Asir | → | Police Officer |
| Korey David | → | Vlogger 3 (as Korey David Rahrle) |
| Jeff DuMont | → | Protester |
| Skye Folsom | → | Skyler Gisondo Body Double |
| Adam S. Ford | → | Angry Protester |
| Kristina Fountaine | → | Police Officer |
| Catalina Garayoa | → | Rebecca |
| Barbara Gehring | → | Mom |
| Skyler Gisondo | → | Ben |
| Chris Grundy | → | Step-Dad |
| Sophia Hammons | → | Isla |
| Kara Hayward | → | Cassandra |
| Sheevani Ignasinski | → | Teacher |
| Vincent Kartheiser | → | Advertising A.I. / Engagement A.I. / Growth A.I. |
| Carlos Leos | → | Angry Protester |
| Marty Lindsey | → | Teacher |
| Richard Lucchese | → | Vincent Kartheiser Body Double |
| Jenice Marshall | → | Angry Protester |
| Reza Nosrati | → | Vincent Kartheiser Body Double |
| Ena O’Rourke | → | Background |
| Chase Penny | → | Police Officer |
| Jason Potter | → | Vlogger 1 |
| Jade Ryin | → | Anonymous Coder |
| Hannah Vail | → | High School Student |
| Sergio Villarreal | → | Luiz |
| A.J. Voliton | → | Angry Protester |
| Gavin White | → | Vlogger 2 |
| Emi Zerr | → | Ben’s Ex-Girlfriend |
| Mary Beth Eversole | → | Angry Protestor |
| Gary John Miller | → | Angry Protester |
| R.J. Wagner | → | Angry Protester |