The Unseen Connection

    After watching The Social Dilemma in class, it became clear that the platforms we rely on to connect, inform and entertain are also harvesting our data, shaping our thoughts and selling our attention to the highest bidder. The documentary, directed by Jeff Orlowski, features interviews with former employees of tech giants like Google, Facebook and Twitter, revealing the alarming ways these platforms manipulate users. The message is clear: we are the product, not the customer.

    Social media has transformed the way we live. It helps families stay in touch across continents, provides real-time news and gives voice to movements that might otherwise be silenced. But behind the convenience lies a system designed not to serve the user, but to profit from their behavior. Every like, comment and share feeds a powerful algorithm engineered to keep us scrolling longer, engaging more and, most importantly, giving away more of our personal information.

    What The Social Dilemma highlights so effectively is that most users have no idea how much of their data is collected—or how it’s used. It’s not just about seeing an ad for sneakers after you search for them. These platforms build detailed psychological profiles, predicting everything from your political views to your emotional state. This data is then used to target you with content tailored to elicit strong reactions, keeping you engaged and boosting ad revenue.

    Even more troubling is how this manipulation can influence society at large. The film explores how algorithms prioritize sensational content, often spreading misinformation faster than truth. This has led to real-world consequences, including political polarization, public health crises and civil unrest. Social media doesn’t just reflect the world—it reshapes it, often in harmful ways.

    For many users, the idea of “privacy” online has become abstract. We accept lengthy terms and conditions without reading them, click “allow” on cookie banners and install apps that track our locations, contacts and habits. In exchange, we get convenience—a new filter, a personalized feed, a recommendation we didn’t know we needed. The trade-off feels small, but collectively, it’s enormous.

    One of the most sobering aspects of The Social Dilemma is how the architects of these systems—people who once helped build them—now warn against their effects. Several interviewees admit they won’t let their own children use social media. Others describe how features they designed, such as the infinite scroll or push notifications, were explicitly meant to encourage addictive behavior. This is not a system gone awry—it is functioning exactly as intended.

    Still, awareness is growing. Initiatives like digital detoxes, privacy-first browsers and movements for ethical technology are gaining momentum. Governments are beginning to push for regulation, though policy often lags behind innovation. The documentary ends on a hopeful note, urging users to take back control by understanding the systems that shape their digital lives.

    The truth is, we are all part of this dilemma. Every time we post a photo, like a status or share a video, we participate in a vast economy built on attention. The question isn’t just whether these platforms are safe, but whether we’re willing to demand better from them—and from ourselves.

    The Social Dilemma may not have all the answers, but it asks the right questions. In an era where our digital lives are inseparable from our real ones, we must confront the uncomfortable reality: privacy online is not guaranteed, and ignorance is no longer an excuse.

    Are you watching the screen, or is the screen watching you?