Just started the Social Dilemma (literally minutes in) and I will be shocked and furious if they don't bring up the Facebook social contagion experiment (both because it fits this topic SO DIRECTLY and because it was my published student note and I could talk about it forever).

I feel like I need to make a tshirt that reads "ask me about IRB laundering and the wild ethics of tech and privacy", it would really expedite most of my conversations.

I got distracted by boy and dogs and Mario World, but continuing later today.

Also, here’s my article on the experiment (it was my first published academic piece, so...be kind): https://ctlj.colorado.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/v2.final-Schroeder-4.14.16-JRD.pdf

ALRIGHT, we back, watching for real now.

It's always a little bit nerd-fun watching documentaries directly tied to what I do day-to-day because I still get that little jolt of "oh, I know who that person is! I've read that person's book! I've met that person at a conference!"

I know we're very early on, but it's interesting that they start with Tristan Harris to set a tone. He's a pretty clear example of someone that worked in the industry but did genuinely want things to be a force for good and to change from within.

Everyone they've interviewed so far seem to be on a similar bent or, at worst, just pretty unaware and caught off-guard by bad effects of their tech developments.

I wonder if they'll bring in the people that KNOW the negative effects, but are fine with it because money.

(Btw, they're referencing "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism" and interviewing @shoshanazuboff and you should all read it, it's SO GOOD.)

This weird illustration scene of personifying engagement, advertising, growth, etc. gets at something that I want to push back on. It makes it seem like these algorithms are foolproof or all-knowing. THEY'RE NOT.

Don't get me wrong - they're VERY GOOD at identifying and monopolizing on trends, tracking and extrapolating from past behavior and all, but they aren't flawless (as we see with things like getting non-stop ads for mattresses after buying a new bed).

This isn't at all to minimize how sophisticated and pervasive and manipulative these things are (they are! it's a major concern! it is absolutely worthy of worry!), but to push back against feeling like tech is unbeatable. It's not perfect! You can mess with it! MESS WITH IT.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES, FACEBOOK CONTAGION EXPERIMENTS.

(I mean, hard boo at the experiments themselves, but yay on the mention, NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LEGAL PROBLEMS AND IRB LAUNDERING.)

Boy has pointed out to me that I may be pushing back too hard on the idea of algorithms being all-knowing because I live in this space and the idea that tech is constantly manipulating us is not new to me, so I've come back around to identifying the flaws.

So, to be clear, social media and about a million other forms of tech are super addictive and it's on purpose and it messes with your brain. Do not ignore how deeply messed-up this stuff is and that it is deeply affecting. It's just not PERFECT.

I have no idea how realistic this scene of everyone losing their minds when they don't have their phones at dinner is - like...people straight-up have no idea how to speak to each other without a phone?

The daughter BROKE INTO THE PHONE HOLDER because she couldn't go literally THREE MINUTES without her phone.

What.

Before anyone asks, yes, I fully realize the irony of me essentially live-tweeting a documentary on social media addiction and overuse.

THIS IS MY PROFESSIONAL AREA.

(Also, I know this illustrative acting-out portion is made up, but how does that girl still have her phone after ignoring her mom, breaking into the phone-safe, and damaging other devices? These are bad parents.)

This whole portion discussing the mental health and individuality and identity effects on kids makes sad but perfect sense to me. A key aspect of privacy (for all, but particularly for kids finding themselves) is the freedom to explore who you are WITHOUT discouragement.

Privacy (including just not being connected to virtual feedback all the time) allows for more self-exploration and allows for the development of an individual "self."

(Shout-out to my independent study on John Stuart Mill and privacy for that one.)

Ok, the problem with this I'm having right now is that we're over halfway through and it's still all the scare. It's all "algorithms run our lives," "you're always manipulated," "this stuff hard-wires your brain" and no proposal for how to get out. It may come later, but...

It's "Weapons of Math Destruction"! And @mathbabedotorg !

Btw, not sure how I feel about the approach of taking the kid from "Booksmart" and putting him in a low-budget tech horror movie inside of this documentary.

I get the illustration and all, but it's kind of jarring.

Ok, nope, use of "I Put a Spell On You" as background music when he caves and picks up the phone again goes beyond "kind of" jarring.

They didn't talk, like, AT ALL about the Facebook emotional contagion experiment. Bring it back.

(Also, mention that it showed emotional reactions to the experiment that are basically scientifically insignificant, BUT STILL, PRINCIPLE MATTERS.)

A lot of these points are good (currently at them discussing how different people see entirely different "facts," "news," etc. through their accounts and feeds, so we're all operating off different information), but again. Solutions. Present some.

This is likely because this is old news for me (not in a "I'm much smarter than everyone" way, but in a "this is the world I am immersed in non-stop for my work" way), but I got it. You sold me. Algorithms are manipulative and bad.

How. Do we. Fix it.

Whelp, now we're deep in the weeds of conspiracy theories and Qanon.

I just REALLY don't want this to end without proposed fixes, because that plays so strongly into the helplessness loop I try to encourage people to avoid re: tech and privacy.

I really don't like this angle that we are completely helpless in our reactions and response and relationship to social media. It is effective! It has serious ethical and real-world impacts!

BUT IT DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO BE THIS WAY AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP.

Ugh, clips of the Zuck congressional hearings. I remember live-watching those (and busting into colleagues' offices to rant about them).

"We are allowing technologists to frame this as a problem that they are equipped to solve. That is a lie. People talk about AI as if it will know truth. AI's not going to solve these problems."

@mathbabedotorg is so dead-on with this.

There are 18 minutes left in this. If they don't propose a single thing people can use to empower themselves, I'm going to be so annoyed.

Oh hey, I watched this hearing live too.

(Shoutout to Senator Tester for his cameo, I was happy with his questions and pushback at the time too and I'm always happy to see Montana people.)

The "simultaneous utopia and dystopia" line by @tristanharris is a good one. Despite that I spend my entire day side-eyeing every piece of tech and yelling about dangers to privacy, tech has allowed for increased accessibility and has improved certain things. It's not all bad.

Ooh, now we're finally getting into how these companies are enormous monopolies that are virtually unregulated.

YEP. Bruh, I was at the FTC. When I tell you I saw concerns for consumers CONSTANTLY argued against with "but innovation," I mean CONSTANT.

I don't think many realize how unprotected their information and privacy and interests with these companies are legally (particularly in the U.S.). There has been way more state action lately, but it is still SO unregulated and people have so little recourse.

Wait, is their entire solution "there should be more regulation"?

I mean, yes, absolutely, I agree, but there has to be more than that, man.

A huge problem with addressing this is none of the solutions I think are workable are easy. It requires things like actively reprogramming your brain with tech fasts or regulation that takes a lot of time/effort or companies changing and breaking up and shifting business models.

There is no quick or simple answer to this. It's not a quick or simple problem.

"It's the critics that drive improvement. It's the critics that are the true optimists."

This is hugely pandering to me, but I'm also upset with how acknowledged that made me feel. I'm trying, man.

Alright, I definitely think this is a good and worthwhile documentary that covers some incredibly important issues. For sure recommend it to anyone that isn't aware of these things.

And now let's get into the weeds of how we fix this.

Oh my god, GUYS, THE CREDITS ARE NOTHING BUT PRACTICAL TIPS AND COMMENTARY FROM THE INTERVIEWED INDIVIDUALS ON HOW TO COMBAT THIS, WHY IS THIS OVER THE CREDITS AND NOT IN THE MAIN DOCUMENTARY.

I'm so frustrated - why would they relegate all the useful and hopeful stuff to the credits? THIS IS THE MEATY STUFF.

Alright, fine, I'm transcribing the credits comments and tips:

- The miracle to steer us away from dystopia is collective will
- Not everyone recognizes this as a problem, so we have to address that before implementing a solution

- One of the biggest tech failures today is in leadership openly talking about this issue and where the problems are
- This won't change without immense public pressure
- Uninstall apps that waste your time/feel manipulative to you
- TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS

- One guy uses Qwant instead of Google (doesn't store search history)
- Don't click on "recommended" items, manually select what you want
- There are Chrome extensions that remove recommendations
- Fact-check anything you share
- Don't engage with clickbait

- Diversify the information you get on media and in life, seek out multiple sources
- Most of these tech industry people don't allow or severely limit their children's use of tech/social media

- One guy's rules for his family are i) all devices out of bedrooms at a fixed time every night; ii) no social media until high school; iii) agree on a time budget with your kids and stick to it
- Get rid of as many social media accounts as you can