This documentary on Netflix was both informative and uncomfortable to watch. Per Wikipedia, it “explores the rise of social media and the damage it has caused to society, focusing on its exploitation of its users for financial gain through surveillance capitalism and data mining, how its design is meant to nurture an addiction, its use in politics, its effect on mental health, and its role in spreading conspiracy theories”.

Key former employees of Google and Facebook were interviewed, all vying for changing the tech business model of manipulation, “attention extraction”, and pervasive data grabbing in order to grow profits each quarter. Again, as with so many realms of our society, new paradigms and systems are needed for the well-being of people and the planet.

Ironically, as a counterpart, I paused and then started watching Emily in Paris, a Netflix series of 10 episodes, with a theme being the power of social media. I was hooked immediately with the frivolity, romance, exciting fashion, characters, and beautiful Parisian backdrop. After watching a number of them consecutively, I suddenly realized I fell for the “user” trap and “attention extraction”. It can happen so quickly!