The Social Media Dilemma and Surveillance Capitalism

Eric Marquette

So, let’s dive right in. Social media platforms—they’re everywhere, right? We use them to connect, to share, even to just pass the time. But here’s the thing—they’re not just built for connection. They’re designed to keep us hooked. And I mean, really hooked. Tim Kendall, a former Facebook executive, once said these platforms are, and I quote, "killing people." That’s not just a little dramatic, it’s downright terrifying. It makes you stop and think, doesn’t it?

Eric Marquette

Take the story of this fictional family from the film, The Social Dilemma. There’s this teenage boy, and, you know, like so many kids, he’s glued to his phone. It starts off harmless. He’s scrolling, watching videos, liking posts. But then, you see this shift—he’s lost in the algorithms. Every notification, every ding just pulls him further in. At one point, it’s like he’s not even part of the family anymore. He becomes distant, isolated, all because of that little screen. And that’s the scary part—it’s designed to work this way. These apps thrive on keeping you engaged, no matter what it costs.

Eric Marquette

And let’s talk about teenagers for a second. They’re, what—kinda digital natives, right? They’re growing up in this hyperconnected world, and the impact on their mental health is huge. Studies have shown how these platforms make them more vulnerable, you know, to feelings of inadequacy or even manipulation. When you’re constantly comparing yourself to filtered, curated versions of other people’s lives, it’s, well, it’s not really healthy. And social media companies? Yeah, they know this. They’re counting on it to keep those engagement metrics up. It’s unsettling when you think about it.

Eric Marquette

What’s even worse is how invisible this whole thing is. It’s happening in the background, shaping behaviors without us even realizing it. And all for profit. It’s like the cost is our peace of mind, our relationships, our… well, our reality, really.

Eric Marquette

So, Tristan Harris said something that really hits hard, "If you’re not paying for the product, then you are the product." Think about that for a second. These platforms may seem free, but they’re not really free. They’re costing us our data, our attention, and probably a good chunk of our privacy. So the question is, how did we get here?

Eric Marquette

Well, enter "surveillance capitalism." This is where companies monetize, like, almost every digital move we make. It’s not just about targeted ads, though that’s a big part of it. It’s about taking our online behaviors—what we click on, how long we look at something, and even those sites we kinda stumble onto—and turning that into profit. In a way, they’re packaging us up and selling us to the highest bidder.

Eric Marquette

Now, let me tell you, I saw this firsthand the other day. I was browsing for, you know, a pair of new hiking boots. Five minutes later—bam! My social feed was flooded, and I mean flooded, with ads for hiking gear. All these brands I’d never even heard of suddenly knew I existed. I thought, "Wow, Eric, congrats. You’re officially part of the machine." But seriously, it’s kinda creepy, right? These platforms are designed to know you almost better than you know yourself.

Eric Marquette

And that’s where the ethical stuff comes in. Should these companies be able to collect our data so easily? Should they be able to use it like this? It’s not just about ads, after all. It’s about manipulating our behavior. They’re predicting what we’re gonna do before we even know we’re gonna do it. It’s that deep. And yet, it just makes you wonder, are we trading privacy for convenience without even realizing it?

Eric Marquette

You know, what’s fascinating about The Social Dilemma is how sharply it divides opinions. On the one hand, it’s eye-opening, right? It takes these abstract, almost invisible systems—like algorithms and surveillance capitalism—and lays them bare in a way that’s easy to grasp. But, if we’re being honest, the film isn’t perfect. Critics say it oversimplifies these really complex societal issues, pointing the finger at social media for, well, almost everything that’s wrong these days. So, is it dramatized? Sure. But does that make the message any less important?

Eric Marquette

I mean, let’s think about it. The film uses these dramatized stories, like that fictional family, to make the dangers of social media really hit home. And yeah, it’s a bit heavy-handed—like, okay, we get it, scrolling endlessly will turn us into, you know, tech-addicted zombies. But those dramatizations serve a purpose. They’re not for the tech experts out there; they’re for everyone else. The people who might not even realize there’s a problem. It makes you feel something in a way that, honestly, cold data just… doesn’t.

Eric Marquette

Now, sure, the documentary doesn’t dive into the nuanced benefits of social media, or how it’s also revolutionized communication and connection. And yeah, it could probably spend a bit more time on that complexity. But that’s not really the point, is it? The point is to raise awareness—to wake us up to the risks we’re all kinda ignoring. If they’d made it less dramatic, well, would it have had the same impact? Maybe… but maybe not.

Eric Marquette

And here’s the thing I really want us to take away from this: whether you believe The Social Dilemma is overly critical or not, it asks us to pause and think about our own habits. How much time are we actually spending on social media, and—more importantly—how much control do we really have over it? Like, are we using it, or is it, you know, using us?

Eric Marquette

So, here’s a challenge. Take a moment today to look at your own digital habits. Maybe set limits on your screen time, or take a weekend to log off completely. Sounds easy, right? But, trust me, when that little notification pops up, it’s harder than you think. Still, the goal isn’t to quit social media entirely. It’s about regaining some balance, making it work for us instead of the other way around. The Social Dilemma might not have all the answers, but it does ask one very important question: what kind of relationship do we want to have with technology moving forward?

Eric Marquette

And that’s all for today. Thanks for spending this time with me—I hope it’s given you something to think about. Until next time, take care and, maybe, give yourself a little break from screen time. You’ve earned it.