Can't Look Away: The Case Against Social Media
| Can't Look Away: The Case Against Social Media | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | |
| Produced by |
|
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Jolt.Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Can't Look Away: The Case Against Social Media is a 2025 documentary film which follows the work of the Social Media Victims Law Center, a group of lawyers assisting the parents of children who died due to interactions with harmful activities on the internet. It was directed by Matthew O'Neill and Perri Peltz.[2][3][4][5] A trailer for the film is available.[6]
Themes
A film review in The Guardian describes how social media companies, including Snapchat, repeatedly serve United States teenagers content covering sextortion, suicide scenarios, unwanted sexual advances, and illicit drug networks.[7] This content is not accidental but rather the result of algorithms that determine the material that teenagers might wish to see based on their search and viewing histories. Moreover, the algorithms are designed to maximize engagement and differ from those applied to adult users, so that parents remain largely unaware of the type of subject matter being promoted to their children. O'Neill explains:[7]
It's so much more than just addiction, or screen time, or wasting time. What young people see is so different because of the algorithms. What they're being fed, what they can't look away from, this is not what they're searching for. Children are essentially entering into a hellscape that adults don't know about.
Reception
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema for Peace Awards | 16 February 2026 | Cinema for Peace Dove for The Most Valuable Documentary of the Year | Can't Look Away: The Case Against Social Media | Pending | [8][9] |
| Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award | 28 January 2026 | Silver Baton | Bloomberg News and DCTV | Won | [10] |
References
- ^ https://www.bloombergmedia.com/press/bloomberg-news-announces-the-launch-of-cant-look-away-the-case-against-social-media-a-documentary-exposing-extreme-harms-to-young-users-linked-to-social-media/
- ^ ""Can't Look Away": Documentary Examines the Dark Side of Social Media". Democracy Now!.
- ^ "We Can't Stop Watching "Can't Look Away"". airmail.news.
- ^ "'Can't Look Away' examines how social media adversely impacts children". MSNBC.
- ^ "Bloomberg Doc Reveals Social Media, Teen Drug Deaths Link: "This is a Public Health Crisis" (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. March 21, 2025.
- ^ Can't look away (2025) — Official trailer. Jolt Film. March 21, 2025. Retrieved August 5, 2025. YouTube video of duration 00:03:36.
- ^ a b Clarke, Cath (August 4, 2025). "'Children are entering a hellscape': the terrifying film about grieving parents taking on social media giants". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ Bizilj, Jaka (January 4, 2026). "Cinema for Peace Unveils Nominees for 2026 & supports the people of Venezuela". Cinema for Peace Foundation. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (January 8, 2026). "Cinema For Peace Gives Shoutout To Venezuelan Opposition Leaders As It Unveils 2026 Nominees Including Pope Leo, Jafar Panahi & Scarlett Johansson". Deadline. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ https://dupont.org/2026-dupont-press-release