The Social Reckoning is a tepid thriller that reminds us of how we got here
Aaron Sorkin’s *The Social Reckoning* dramatises Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s efforts to expose how the company’s algorithms amplified hate speech and misinformation. The review says the film makes a forceful case that Facebook’s pursuit of growth contributed to social harm, while offering a timely reminder of how the platform reached this point.
The 112-minute film follows Haugen, played by Mikey Madison, as she works on Facebook’s civic integrity team in 2019 and turns to *Wall Street Journal* reporter Jeff Horwitz, played by Jeremy Allen White, when colleagues ignore her concerns. It draws on reporting about Haugen and presents the journalists as capable allies, but gives the whistleblower dialogue that can undercut the story’s seriousness. The reviewer finds the film’s themes potent, though it lacks the pace and dramatic force of *The Social Network* and may arrive too late to make a meaningful impact.
- The film follows Frances Haugen’s effort to expose Facebook’s harms.
- It dramatises the role of reporting and internal documents.
- The review finds its message strong but its thriller energy muted.
New here? Start with this
Frances Haugen was a Facebook employee who became a prominent whistleblower after revealing internal documents to journalists. Working on the platform's civic integrity team in 2019, she identified serious concerns about how the company's algorithms amplified harmful content and escalated the issues internally, but found her concerns were not being taken seriously.
Facebook's algorithms were engineered to maximise user engagement, which in practice meant they amplified divisive content. The company was aware this included the spread of hate speech and misinformation, yet prioritised growth and profit over addressing these harms.
Haugen's decision to go public with her findings triggered widespread scrutiny of social media platforms and their role in spreading misinformation and fuelling societal division. Her revelations contributed to ongoing debates about how to regulate technology companies and hold them accountable for the content they promote.