Today’s social media and search platforms are powered by algorithms that prioritize engagement at all costs, eroding our ability to find the common ground needed to tackle society’s greatest challenges from climate change to social injustice. Following the launch of our latest film The Social Dilemma, our Tech Reform program explores ways the use of storytelling to reveal this broken information ecosystem and help grow a movement for technology that prioritizes people over profits.

impact initiatives

Original Production: The Social Dilemma

We tweet, we like, and we share— but what are the consequences of our growing dependence on social media? Our Emmy award-winning Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma reveals how social media is reprogramming civilization with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations.

Impact Program: The Social Dilemma Virtual Tour

To engage our global audience in conversation during a time of social distancing, The Social Dilemma Virtual Tour featured a series of virtual convenings diving deeper into each of the dilemmas revealed in the film. These events featured academics, experts, and activists not featured in the film who are working to help us better understand our shared dilemma and advance humane tech solutions. The tour also kicked off our community screenings program, allowing anyone across the globe to host a screening using our discussion guides and recordings of our virtual tour roundtables to support their conversations.

Impact Program: The Social Dilemma Debate Project

Social media algorithms that amplify outrage and engagement are eroding our society’s ability to engage in healthy debate. As policymakers debate ways to regulate social media, The Social Dilemma Debate Project invites educators and students to share their perspectives by hosting a debate in their community and uploading a video featuring their proposed policy solution. Selected debaters will win $500 and be featured on Newsweek’s podcast The Debate.

Impact Program: LookUp Startup Innovation Challenge

To inspire young people to demand and create more humane technology, we are partnering with LookUp for their StartUp Innovation Challenge. Now in its second year, the Challenge invites youth (18-25) with bold ideas that address the youth mental health crisis through digital wellbeing and responsible technologies. Winners receive seed grants, mentorship, community, and skills-building opportunities. View last year’s challenge winners.

IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

IMPACT COLLABORATORS

The work of our tech reform program would not be possible with the creativity and allyship of our impact collaborators: