-
Netflix Releases The Social Dilemma
-
FB Releases Public Statement on Film
In an unprecedented move, Facebook released a statement directly addressing claims made in "The Social Dilemma." The document outlines several areas in which Facebook disagrees with conclusions from the film. Although Facebook largely avoided taking responsibility for the points made, this document demonstrates the film's reach and illustrates the gravity of the conversations it helped to start. Read more -
House Releases Antitrust Report on Big Tech
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives released a blockbuster report that represents the end of a 16-month antitrust investigation into Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. This represents a major step in taking real antitrust actions against these companies. Read more -
FB's Users Decline in Q3
Nearly two months following the release of "The Social Dilemma," Facebook reported a decrease in its number of active users for the third quarter of 2020. Read more -
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) asks Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey if they have seen "The Social Dilemma"
During a United States Senate hearing on regulating big technology companies, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) directly asked the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter if they had seen "The Social Dilemma." This is another testament to the film's reach. Read more -
FB and Twitter Ban Trump Following Insurrection
Following the violent Capitol Insurrection on January 6th, 2021, Facebook and Twitter banned the accounts of former President Trump, citing safety concerns. Each issued separate statements, timelines, and decisions on the bans in the following days. Read more -
United States Capitol Stormed
On January 6th, 2021, violent insurrectionists stormed the United States Capitol in an attempt to block the certification of President Joe Biden's 2020 election win. Social media played an outsized role in creating these extremists and encouraging them to act. Read more -
FB Stops Recommending Political Groups
As part of the continued fallout from the Capitol Insurrection on January 6th, 2021, Facebook announced that it would no longer recommend political groups on its platforms. This represents a major and wide-reaching design change in direct response to external pressure. Read more -
UN Chief Calls for Global Regulations
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for global cooperation on regulations for social media companies, focusing on his unease with the amount of power they wield. He noted that it shouldn't be an individual company's call to silence a sitting government official. Read more -
Google to Limit Future Ad Tracking
Google elaborated on its plans to phase out cookies in its Chrome product by 2022, saying that they will focus on "privacy-preserving" features instead. Read more -
Coalition Calls to Ban Surveillance Advertising
In an open letter, a broad coalition of advocates came together to call for a ban on surveillance advertising, a core practice that underlies the business model of big tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google. Read more -
Tech CEOs Testify Before Congress
On March 25th, 2021, the CEOs of Google, Facebook, and Twitter testified in a hearing before the House of Representatives, aimed at assessing their companies' responsibility for misinformation. Read more -
-
Twitter Intros Responsible Machine Learning Initiative
In an effort to its platform safer, Twitter addresses a core issue by introducing the Responsible Machine Learning Initiative. Relying on feedback from both employees and users, it aims to openly explore the effects of Twitter's algorithms and investigate solutions. -
Tech CEOs Testify Before Senate
YouTube was at the forefront of the conversation as several tech executives testified before the Senate. Lawmakers explored how the companies' algorithms contributed to viral misinformation, extremist content, and hate speech. Read more -
Apple Releases App Tracking Privacy Controls
In a landmark software update, Apple rolled out new privacy protections for its consumers. The headline-making feature gives users a clear choice in allowing apps to track their activity. Read more -
FB Oversight Board Upholds Trump Ban
The Facebook Oversight Board ruled that the social network's ban of President Trump was appropriate when it occurred and should be continued due to ongoing risk. However, they urged the company to reassess the situation themselves in six months and issue a final decision. Read more -
44 AGs Urge FB to Scrap Instagram for Kids
44 State Attorneys General penned a letter to Facebook urging the company to scrap its plans to create Instagram for Kids, citing a range of safety concerns. The broad coalition represents a growing consciousness about the safety of Facebook and Instagram. Read more -
FB Prompts Users to Read Articles Before Sharing
Facebook introduced a new feature that prompts users to read articles before sharing them in their latest attempt to curb misinformation on the platform. Read more -
Dozens of States Step in to Curb Big Tech's Power
In the absence of federal regulation, dozens of states have been making their own progress regarding the regulation of big technology companies. Read more -
The Social Dilemma wins a Webby Award
The Social Dilemma wins the Webby Award for Politics & Advocacy, Branded Content (Advertising, Media & PR).
Read more -
Twitter Rolls Out Fact-Check Feature
Twitter introduced a new feature called "BirdWatch" in an attempt to crowdsource solutions for misinformation. The feature is the latest in a series of design changes across big technology companies attempting to make their platforms safer. Read more -
Big Tech Caught in European Antitrust Probes
Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple are subject to major antitrust lawsuits from the European Commission and the United Kingdom. The move demonstrates Europe's continued leadership on the front of tech regulation. Read more -
6 Tech Antitrust Bills Passed
After nearly twenty-three hours of debate, the House Judiciary Committee passed six sweeping antitrust bills specifically aimed at curtailing the power of big tech companies. Although the bills face further challenges and revisions, their initial passage demonstrates a notable level of bipartisan support on the issue of big tech. Read more -
Film Nominated for 7 Emmys
The Social Dilemma is nominated for 7 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special, Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program, Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special, Outstanding Writing For A Nonfiction Program, and Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program Read more -
President Biden Says Platforms Like Facebook are "Killing People" with COVID-19 Misinformation
As the White House ramps up its campaign against big tech companies, President Biden commented that platforms like Facebook are "killing people" by allowing COVID-19 misinformation to spread. Read more -
Film Wins 2 Emmys
The Social Dilemma wins Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program and Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program at the 2021 Emmy Awards. Read more -
Facebook Delays 'Instagram for Kids' Amid Public Backlash
In an unprecedented move, Facebook opted to delay the introduction of a new social media platform for children under thirteen following pressure from the general public, advocacy groups, and interested parties, including The Social Dilemma. Read more -
Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen Comes Forward Saying the Company Chose Profit Over Public Safety
After granting the public access to internal Facebook research and co-authoring the damning Facebook Files series with the Wall Street Journal, former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen comes forward in a 60 Minutes interview. She details the harms Facebook is causing to its users, especially young people, before testifying before Congress on Tuesday, October 5th, 2021. Read more -
Facebook's Services Go Dark and Stock Plunges In Wake of Whistleblower Revelations
After the explosive release of the Wall Street Journal series The Facebook Files and preceding internal whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony in front of Congress, Facebook's services went dark for nearly six hours on Monday, October 4th while their stock plunged. Read more -
Facebook/Meta rated as the worst company of the year
In a December Yahoo Finance survey, respondents rated Facebook/Meta as the worst company of 2021. Unlike other companies, audiences disliked Facebook/Meta for a variety of reasons, from conservative censorship to the whistleblower allegations. 30% of respondents believed Facebook could redeem itself by changing its behavior.
