Aaron Sorkin.
| Photo Credit: DANNY MOLOSHOK
Aaron Sorkin, Oscar-winning author of The Social Network, is working on a follow-up movie about Facebook that can discover the corporate’s position within the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol.
Sorkin, who depicted the creation and early years of Facebook in 2010’s The Social Network, mentioned the tech big has since then performed a significant position within the United States’ sharp political polarization.
“I’ll be writing about this. I blame Facebook for January 6,” he mentioned. Sorkin, who additionally created TV’s The West Wing and movie The Trial of the Chicago 7, revealed the nascent challenge throughout a dwell recording of The Town podcast this week.
He accused Mark Zuckerberg — co-founder, and chief govt of Facebook mother or father firm Meta — of prioritizing development on the expense of integrity, regardless of his already huge private wealth.
“Facebook has been, among other things, tuning its algorithm to promote the most divisive material possible because that is what will increase engagement,” he mentioned. “That is what will get you to what they call inside the hallways of Facebook, the ‘infinite scroll.'”
Asked precisely why Facebook was answerable for January 6, he responded: “You’re going to need to buy a movie ticket.” Many Americans rely on social media platforms like Facebook for his or her information.
Tech firms stand accused each of failing to confirm broadly shared information tales — together with viral conspiracy theories — and of excessively censoring what they present. Hundreds of people that invaded the Capitol on January 6, 2021, had been motivated by then-president Donald Trump’s false declare that the election had been “stolen” from him.
Some cited conspiracy theories corresponding to QAnon. The Social Network, directed by David Fincher, was an enormous industrial and important hit. It grossed some $225 million on the world field workplace and was nominated for eight Oscars together with finest image. It received three Academy Awards, together with finest tailored screenplay for Sorkin.
Sorkin has beforehand floated the concept of a “follow up,” telling the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he would have an interest, as long as Fincher agreed to return as director. Fincher final 12 months advised the Guardian he has mentioned the challenge with Sorkin however warned that delving again into Facebook can be “a can of worms.”