Greetings again from the darkness. Talk about perfect timing. Not only is this documentary from Sara Robin a must-watch for parents and a should-watch for everyone, the subject matter is incredibly timely as it displays how we somehow haven’t learned our lesson, leaving history to repeat itself. The film opens with footage of Mark Zuckerberg answering questions during a Congressional hearing on the effects of social media on the mental health of kids. Ms. Robin then proceeds to walk us through the backstory … the inspiration for the activists who pushed for change.
I don’t recall having a more emotional response to a documentary (and I watch many). The remarkable Kristin Bride recounts the pain of losing her 16-year-old son to suicide after he was cyber-bullied. This sets her on the road to activism, where she is joined by others, including Trisha Prabhu, the founder of ReThink, as well as authors, educators, technologists, and parents. Some would argue that bullying and personal insults have been around for many years, and they’d be correct. The difference is that social media allows for anonymous and vicious attacks that spread widely and quickly. One approach is embarrassing, while the other can be devastating and life-altering.
Former United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy contributes his thoughts on the topic of how social media plays a role in the mental health of kids, and it’s ‘Facebook Whistleblower’ Frances Haugen who brought so much attention to this topic by exposing Big Tech’s knowledge of the impact they had. She did this by disclosing thousands of internal documents laying out company research. It seemed the time was ripe for action. However, for a government that has shown very little interest in protecting children from school shootings, should it be a surprise that the mental health of kids who are cyber-bullied or humiliated via social media is not the highest priority … especially when the system is generating big money and Big Tech is so politically influential?
As heartbreaking as teenage suicide stories are, it’s incredulous to think that Artificial Intelligence could have even more dramatic repercussions. Once again, politics is being ruled by power and money rather than protection of the country’s citizens. “What could go wrong?” Well, it’s already going wrong. AI chat bots have begun relationships with lonely teens … those already isolated socially thanks to online cruelty. And once again, the government is depending on these tech giants to ‘self-police’, an approach that has already proven to fail at protecting users.
The film fills us in on Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act passed in 1996 at the infancy of the internet. This has been used to insulate these providers, regardless of the research and damage. Ms. Robin follows the KOSA (Kids Online Safety Act) as it works its way through Congress, only to be stalled by politics, special interests, big tech, and big money. Those working for the bill have a goal of building a better/kinder internet with reasonable safeguards. For the providers, the goal is selling user attention to advertisers. Some have termed this exploitation, while others excuse it as the effects of free market.
The film takes a few side trips, with the most interesting being Amsterdam, where we learn about the “Offline Club”. Folks gather and voluntarily relinquish their devices in order to hang out and socialize in the old-fashioned way. It’s the counterpoint to what the film earlier describes as those who are ‘digitally connected and socially isolated’. The comparison has been made that this fight is similar to the ‘Big Tobacco’ hearings of the 1990’s. Watching this film sent me through multiple emotions, including heartbreak, anger, and hope. It leaves us with words from Kristin Bride’s son: “In the end, only kindness matters.” If he were to see his mother’s work, he would surely add ‘courage’ to the creed.
Available to rent or own on October 6, 2026 on Apple TV and other platforms.
Posted by David Ferguson 
