Facebook Issues Response To Claims From ‘The Social Dilemma’

Facebook have issued comments in response to claims made in the Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma.

The Social Dilemma aims to provide an overview of the various ways in which social media platforms have become increasingly divisive and dangerous as their usage has increased over time.

Most reviews of The Social Dilemma have actually been highly critical, noting that while the documentary does make some valid and important points, it descends into sensationalism, which ultimately dilutes its key messaging.

The statement includes: “We should have conversations about the impact of social media on our lives. But ‘The Social Dilemma’ buries the substance in sensationalism. Rather than offer a nuanced look at technology, it gives a distorted view of how social media platforms work to create a convenient scapegoat for what are difficult and complex societal problems.”

The statement continues: “The film’s creators do not include insights from those currently working at the companies or any experts that take a different view to the narrative put forward by the film. They also don’t acknowledge—critically or otherwise—the efforts already taken by companies to address many of the issues they raise. Instead, they rely on commentary from those who haven’t been on the inside for many years. Here are the core points the film gets wrong.”

The statement then goes on to discuss miscommunication in the documentary surrounding addiction to the network, keeping the platform free for all, the use of algorithms, data, polarisation, and how the network is dealing with elections and misinformation.