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When virtual becomes reality, crimes that have one thing in common, all done behind the screen of an online shield.

It can be hard at first to see how the series fits, to piece it together, and to be honest there's no need to.

It will evoke several different emotions, disgust, shock, awe and definitely curiosity. Two episodes revolted me for different reasons, I'm sure I don't need to highlight which they are, if you've watched the series, you'll know the ones.

Prepare to meet some hideous, awful human beings, again I don't need to say who, but how on Earth these people get attention, and a following is beyond me.

For me, the highlight was The Stingray, a mind blowing two parter, which I found truly jaw dropping.

It's very well made, it's so well put together, it's one of those shows that you could easily binge watch over a day or so, I did.

7/10.

A few really good episodes and a few not so good. Editing was a bit disjointed, some topics brought up that weren't followed through. Decent production value though and overall an insightful look at the dark side of how the internet can be used.

Good basic information about how technology is misused by criminals. I was not so keen at all about what appeared to me to be glorification of Rigmaiden's cleverness he used to mitigate his blatantly criminal behavior. Frankly, he disgusts me and his story didn't warrant two episodes.

As Episode 1 of "Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet" (2022 release; 6 episodes of about 55-60 min each) opens, an online gamer who feels insulted places a 911 hoax call and as a result a SWAT team goes to the house of the guy who "insulted" the online gamer. We learn quickly that this so-called "swatting" is a widespread practice in the e-gaming industry and it leads eventually to a tragic death of an innocent bystander, Who to hold accountable? At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this mini-series is directed by longtime documentarian Brian Knappenberger and executive-produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. In other words: some serious talent is attached to this mini-series. The 6 episodes are unrelated to each other, but of course with one central theme: the disinformation that is the cancer of the internet. This is best highlighted in Episode 2, which looks at the murder of DNC staffer Set Ruth in July, 2016, and how this sickening event eventually was kidnapped by right wing conspiracy entrepreneurs and eventually by FOX News (of course!), without any concern for the parents of Seth Rich.(FOX eventually settled a law suit brought by Seth Ruth's parents about this in the millions, because of course FOX didn't do anything wrong LOL.) I wish I could say this is one of the more shameful episodes of FOX News, but alas, it merely showcases what FOX News is its very core: a well-oiled machine of disinformation of the highest order, if not outright lies, all in the name of making mega-profits. This Episode 2 should be required viewing for all and I rate it 8 stars. I rate the overall series a very solid 7 stars.

"Web Of Make Believe" premiered on Netflix recently, and I just caught up with it. (There was an in-depth story on NPR just the other day about that Episode 2 "A Murder in D. C." that is very much worth seeking out.) If you like true crime documentaries, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Nothing much to see in this. Just bunch of people handed a mic and then asked to give their opinion. Literally Netflix has gotten so woke that even their "documentaries" are just a smash of fake news, false narratives, and leftist disinformation campaign.

This is probably the pinnacle of American TV: excessive drama. Starts gripping until it gets unwatchable. Reminds me of similar cable TV programs, those being the reason I cancelled cable 10 years ago.

Interesting that so many reviews point to "left-wing" propaganda when only one of the episodes in this well-made anthology focuses on the Alt-Right's use of the Internet to spread their...propoganda. The other episodes don't involve politics, but shows actual cases of the use/misuse of the World Wide Web for criminal behavior that is difficult to investigate for smaller law enforcement agencies, and overwhelms larger agenies because it's so extensive. The point that the platform of the Internet which is so intertwined with modern living is also a place where dark--even deadly--forces lurk is very well illustrated. (Note: the cries of "bias" in reviews here never cite one exxample of what they feel is a misrepresentation.)

"Web of Make-Believe: Death, Lies, Internet" is a gripping documentary that delves into the complex and often dangerous world of online deception. The film sheds light on the alarming prevalence of fake news, misinformation, and the manipulation of truth in the digital age.

Through a series of interviews and real-life examples, the documentary exposes the devastating consequences of online lies and their impact on individuals, communities, and even political landscapes. It underscores the power of social media platforms and their ability to spread false narratives that can shape public opinion and incite violence.

The film also explores the psychological aspects of online deception, examining the motivations behind creating and perpetuating falsehoods. It raises important questions about the ethics of online behavior and the responsibility of individuals and tech companies in combating misinformation.

"Web of Make-Believe: Death, Lies, Internet" serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the virtual world and the urgent need for critical thinking, media literacy, and responsible online engagement. It is a thought-provoking documentary that will leave viewers questioning the authenticity of the information they encounter online and the potential consequences of unchecked deception.

Each story can be completed in 30 mins but it's dragged for 1 hr. The recreation videos of victim was totally not needed. The trailer doesn't do justice to the content.

The only truly interesting episodes are 5 & 6 that are about Daniel Rigmaiden, known as the The Hacker that the FBI, IRS, Postal Inspector, and Secret Service couldn't identify even after eluding the FBI with their money in front of their eyes that they mailed to him. This guy has gotta be the most interesting cyber-criminal I've heard of. Over $4 million of returns filed, especially after representing himself and disclosing the Feds most secret surveillance Stingray device at the time. Simply a brilliant genius, and that's coming out of mouths of the federal detectives that investigated and attempted to prosecute him. Every one of us should know what he exposed the what and how of the what government was using to violate our 4th amendment because it affects us all. I'm super intrigued and curious to know what this guy is currently up to. Represented himself in federal court and got a plea of his lifetime. Supposedly he is out in the free world.. Wonder what that guy is up to these days..... Just saying...

The first episode did a good job of exposing how toxic online behavior can be and how it can jump from virtual reality into the real world.

Unfortunately the next few episodes (that I struggled to make it through) have a clear political slant that overshadows the subject matter.

The second episode is about Seth Rich's murder. He was the DNC staffer that was killed around the time of the election. They then proceed for the hour runtime labeling things misinformation and conspiracies as well as discrediting people. No time on the actual murder, no time looking at things from all angles, just one way traffic to clear a political party of having any part of it.

Every form of media seems to be more interested in editorials and opinions rather than just sharing the facts. This is not something that is mutually exclusive to any one side, try as they might to make it seem as such. My patience is really wearing thin with Netfix.

I started out on this one very sceptical due to the ratings and the first episode with the music and all the drama felt very exaggerated. But things definitely picked up a notch from the second episode onwards and episodes 5 and 6 were absolutely incredible. It's a 7 from me but I wanted to balance out the negative reviews on here (unnecessary in my view -and politically motivated) which don't seem to be about the quality of the real life documentary at all.

If they'd done away with the tacky recreations where they had the people themselves telling stories, it would have been a solid 8 from me. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and the truth is stranger than fiction quality keeps you hooked. I can't help but wonder how some of these criminals are so incredibly smart and what they stand to achieve if given a constructive and positive start in life.

I wasn't too sure about this, first and 2nd episodes are alright. Then it became boring and lackluster and really didn't tell a great story!

Not worth a watch in my opinion.

The 3rd episode is about Nazis on the internet and you can tell by these reviews that they have noticed. It does a great job exposing the violence and hate that is emblematic of their movement. It shows how they talk in private when they think they won't be called out for their most vile, hateful rhetoric... So it shouldn't be a surprise that they are going out of their way to review bomb it.

My suggestion? Don't just watch the 3rd episode... show it to your friends and family. Help expose these monsters for who they are. They are desperate for you not to find out.

This show epitomizes what it claims to expose. Guarantee the show runners are more guilty of being radicalized by the Twitter blue checkmarks and media than most of the subjects in this show.

Propaganda beget propaganda...

Internet hoaxes and disinformation are not abstract ideas or victimless crimes. From the deaths of innocent people because a disaffected loser decided to "swat" a family (and the idiot police department overreacted) to to the election of Donald Trump after glutting social media with BS about Hillary Clinton, the series shows just how slowly human beings are responding to a virtual world where lies are as believable as the truth. It's scary stuff.

The scariest part is that we have no real way to control it. The internet has become our agent of everything from love to depression. The message of the series is that we ignore its influence at our own peril.

This was a weird show & got real political out of nowhere. Feel like there are other stories that couldve been covered for this series, but seems the stories chosen were on purpose to get people in their feels (see other reviews) . As someone who doesn't give a hoot about politics, this was very lackluster & really is a show about how law enforcement are always the hero. IMO not worth the time unless you just want some sound on.

If you can't watch all eps, try with final two eps (Stingray; Secret tracking device Government use for surveillance) Expect Ep03 and Ep04, all episodes is interesting.

As a fan of documentaries, I can truly and honestly say, this is the worst, most one sided piece of garbage production I've ever seen. Not an exaggeration. I am talking about episodes 5 and 6.

I should have looked at reviews first...this is truly an insult to good people everywhere.

If you are law abiding citizen, you will hate this. This dude Daniel is a scumbag. No amount of happy piano music with shots of BLM protesters cut with his face will change that.

Dude was a con artist, full stop.

Don't listen to the conservatives whining in these bad reviews. They get triggered by logic. The documentary provides a wide range of information that you can further research yourself. It's far less one sided than the right wingers are insinuating. If at the very least, these are stories by people who were deeply affected by horrifying circumstances.

It's pretty obvious that there's an episode in this series that likes to lump the right in with the alt right. Basically a smear campaign to anyone that isn't the left leaning like the obvious producers of the show and the direction they choose to take you for the episode.

I got up to and watched that episode and then decided that was enough for me.

If they weren't willing to provide objective journalism for that piece then I doubt they'd flip and provide on anything else.

First episode was okay though, this is why it gets one star.

There is an episode about nazis and alt-right and seems like it has triggered bunch of snowflakes to bring the rating down. Don't let it affect you. Solid show with good stories.