The Social Dilemma:
A Film Discussion for Titan Prep 9
DEfine
How would you define the problem presented in The Social Dilemma?
How does the following short film depict the dilemma? Can you relate? If so, how?
How does the following short film depict the dilemma? Can you relate? If so, how?
Recognize
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Read the main points in Todd Haselton's 2018 article, “I Checked and It Turns Out Facebook Knows a Lot About Me” on CNBC.
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Find out what information your favorite sites are collecting ABOUT YOU using The Markup's Blacklight tool. Simply enter the URL for your favorite site and see how it measures up for media privacy.
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Check out The Markup's Split Screen tool and consider how the user-information that is collected by websites and social media impacts the news feeds of different groups including Millennials/Boomers, Men/Women, and Democrats/Republicans.
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How well can you spot misinformation when you see it? Take The Misinformation Medic's Health Check quiz and test your misinformation radar.
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reflect
As film subject Shoshana Zuboff points out, extractive technology has made internet companies “the richest companies in the history of humanity.” How would you define their business model? What are they selling? Have you (or someone you know) experienced negative consequences as a result?
Film subject Tristan Harris says, “If something is a tool, it genuinely is just sitting there, waiting patiently [to be used]. If something is not a tool, it’s demanding things from you, it’s seducing you, it’s manipulating you. It wants things from you.” Do you think social media is a tool for you? How might you make it one?
Who do you think is responsible for solving “the social dilemma”? What should they do? Is there anything you can do?
Film subject Tristan Harris says, “If something is a tool, it genuinely is just sitting there, waiting patiently [to be used]. If something is not a tool, it’s demanding things from you, it’s seducing you, it’s manipulating you. It wants things from you.” Do you think social media is a tool for you? How might you make it one?
Who do you think is responsible for solving “the social dilemma”? What should they do? Is there anything you can do?
TAke Action
- Remove unnecessary apps
- Turn off/limit notifications
- Disable autoplay features and avoid recommended videos on YouTube
- Recognize when your confirmation bias kicks in
- Limit your screen time (at least 30 minutes before bed--use a real alarm clock)
- Pause before you post and consider the consequences
- Use a search engine that doesn't save your search history (DuckDuckGo, Startpage, Qwant)
- Talk about the problem. Now that you understand the social dilemma, share what you've learned with family and friends.