Boarding and Day · Co-ed College Prep · Grades 6–12 & Postgraduate · Hebron, Maine

Parent Huddle: Breaking Down "The Social Dilemma"

Parent Huddle: Breaking Down "The Social Dilemma"

This week, our community at Hebron Academy focused on breaking down ‘the social dilemma’ film and how social media shapes society. We discussed:

  • Considering how social media companies control our attention
  • Solving issues posed in ‘The Social Dilemma’

Time permitting and only to the extent you feel comfortable, consider continuing the conversation, and huddling about these topics as a family. Here are some questions you can pose to everyone in the family:

  • 1:Regardless of whether you’ve seen ‘The Social Dilemma’ or agree with its overall premise, the film brings to light some good discussion about how social media companies design features to control our attention. Think about how your family or your friends use social media. Go around the room and share the primary feature or reason that social media holds your attention.
  • 2: Almost every social media platform, including TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, uses algorithms to recommend content. ‘The Social Dilemma’ posits that the primary purpose of these algorithms is to maximize the time you spend on platforms. Others suggest that it's primarily a means to personalize your experience and make it more enjoyable. Visit bit.ly/HowFeedsWork to watch Facebook’s explanation of how its ranking system works. Then, as a family, discuss the pros and cons. 
  • 3: Towards the end of the movie, Tristan Harris, a former Google employee and one of the main interview subjects, brings up a simple truth. “Our technology is going to become more integrated in our lives, not less.” What are some ways that technology has become more integrated into our lives? What are three ways our family can help each other strike an appropriate balance between technology and social media?