Hello!

Thanks for being here. This is the second thing Unfollow has sent, and it's prompted by a film.

The Social Reckoning opened in UK cinemas last week. It tells the story of Frances Haugen, the Facebook engineer who took the company's internal research to a journalist and then to the public.

My reaction is mostly to the fact that it exists, and unsurprisingly I think it's a good thing. Our campaign depends on people understanding who knew what, and how deliberate these mechanisms were. A film with a big name writer/director with previous in this space, big cast, and a wide release puts that question in front of far more people than we could reach ourselves.

It also points at the same thing we're campaigning on. The problem isn't that people can get on social media, it's that the product was built to keep them there. That's why we're not asking for a ban, or for platforms to be less available. We're asking for the specific features that turn ordinary use into compulsive use to be taken out: public follower counts, infinite scroll, autoplay, and engagement-optimised notifications. Everything else can stay.

If the film leaves you asking what could actually be done, that's our answer. It's narrow, it's specific, and we think it's achievable. The evidence, with sources, is on the FAQ page if you'd like to check our working.

It's early, and there's not much to report yet. I'm spending these first weeks talking to people and groups who care about this, and I'll tell you when that turns into something.

Two small asks. If you know someone who's seen the film or is thinking of going, forward this to them. And if you have a view on it, just reply. I read everything.

Dominic Founder, Unfollow