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New Netflix film dissects a technology-driven 'social dilemma'

Skyler Gisondo in 'The Social Dilemma'
Posted at 5:07 PM, Sep 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-09-21 17:07:25-04

SAN RAMON, Calif. — A new Netflix documentary sets out to expose technology's corrosive effects on society during a pandemic that's left people more dependent than ever on tools that keep them connected with friends, family and colleagues they can no longer meet in person.

So the timing for the release of "The Social Dilemma" this month might strike some viewers as odd. But its makers aim to give you a better sense of why the pandemic isn't the only reason it feels like we're stuck in a dystopian nightmare.

The film makes a compelling case that Silicon Valley's one-two punch of smartphones and attention-grabbing algorithms has left people reeling.