Potential Topics for The Social Dilemma Essay

The following is a list of potential topics for The Social Dilemma essay. Don’t limit

yourself to these topics. Feel free to choose your own topic.

1. Is The Social Dilemma, biased? Is it accurate? What information provided in the film

is misleading?

2. Is social media beneficial, detrimental, or both beneficial and detrimental?

3. Is social media a drug? Is it addictive? Is this a problem?

4. Does social media damage our sense of self-worth and identity?

5. Does social media cause mental illness? For example, does it lead to depression and

anxiety? Do you agree with Orlowski (the director) that it can lead to suicide?

6. Do you agree with Orlowski that social media leads to a false sense that everyone

agrees with you because it narrows your social sphere to people who think like you?

Does it lead to polarization? In other words, does social media create ideological

divisions?

7. Do you agree with Orlowski that social media propagates conspiracy theories and

fake news?

8. Should children be allowed to use social media? For example, many social media

platforms require users to be at least 13 years old. What age limit do you feel is

appropriate for social media use?

9. Does social media lead to bullying?

10. Does social media drive us apart or bring us together? Does it make us more/less

lonely and isolated?

11. Do you agree with Orlowski that social media is an assault on democracy? Does it

destabilize and erode society?

12. Should social media be permitted to collect data regarding our interests, political

views, et cetera?

13. Should social media platforms be permitted to tailor advertising to our personal

interests?

14. Do you agree with Orlowski that social media is an existential threat that brings out

the worst in society?

15. Should the government regulate social media?

16. Orlowski says that social media platforms should be designed humanely. Is this

possible?

17. Does social media cause us to compare our real lives to others’ idealized lives? In

other words, does it cause us to compare our real selves to other people’s fake

selves?