Why We Need the Sequel of The Social Network

The Social Network was released almost a decade ago, and it continues to be relevant even after such a long time. The movie captured a significant moment in human history when we, as a species, made big choices for our generation. However, the film was more focused on the man behind the biggest social media site on the planet, although it also predicted the possible implication of socialization on our psyches. 

 In the last few months, Facebook has been under immense scrutiny for the use of the platform for hate and misinformation. Moreover, the recent privacy issues have also made people question whether they say they should be using social media. This is not the first time that Social Media or Zuckerberg has received so much criticism. There have been interventions in elections as well that have made intellectuals fear the future. Then there are also the mental health issues that come with social media, which is now scientifically established. With the growing awareness of the massive threat of social media, it is the ideal time for the Social Network’s sequel. 

 Sources: https://directoryxelt.com/blog/why-we-need-the-sequel-of-the-social-network/

Aaron Sorkin has been contemplating the idea of the sequel for a long time now. As of now, we only know that it will explore the dark side of Facebook. The film will be intriguing to watch since the writers have to re-examine Zuckerberg’s character in the light of recent controversies. In the Social Network, we see Zuckerberg become immensely successful after launching Facebook from his Harvard dormitory. But in the end, he finds himself all alone, having lost the friends he had while he was fighting several lawsuits. At the end of the movie, we see him all alone looking at the profile of his ex-girlfriend and contemplating whether she will accept his friend request or not. It’s interesting and ironic how the scene has been shot to shed light on what social media can do to us.

 In the sequel, it would be intriguing to explore his transformation in the last decade. Not only is Zuckerberg much richer than he used to be, but he is probably one of the strongest men on the planet. In the latest documentary, The Social Dilemma, the previous employees in these giants have made the case that even though they had good intentions, social media turns out to frighten them. Chamath Palihapitiya was a senior executive on Facebook. If he is to be believed, then only Zuckerberg can solve the problems that we face today; the sequel can explore how serious he really is about making these changes or does he even acknowledge these problems?

There is no doubt that the sequel will cover a lot of things that most people will be interested to know about. The Social Network, when it was released ten years back, it was not as politically or socially relevant that it is now. Intellectuals have even started warning that Facebook and other social media sites are dangerous for democracy. Chamath, too, thinks that in one of his interviews at Stanford, he even said that Facebook is ripping apart the social fabric of how society works. With such serious warning from these companies’ top officials, there is little doubt left on how dangerous and relevant social media and its implications on social order is. The sequel of the film will give viewers a fresh perspective and spread the message even more that even though these tools are important, they are extremely harmful, so we must be wary of them.