User reviews

I am not sure why so many seem to think this is so biased. The whole point of the documentary is to demonstrate how Google and Facebook are able to manipulate SOME people's opinion through their algorithms. It also shows how they sell information to various buyers through data collection. I am not sure how this falls into the 'conspiracy theory' but apparently it's too much for some viewers. Many of the supporting evidence has been corroborated by other news outlets. To believe that companies do not have agendas and are trying to be as profitable as possible is naive.

As with other Schweitzer works, there is some bias via exaggeration. However, you do yourself a great disservice to ignore the underling threat that is well-substantiated by this film.

Schweitzer doesn't include the leaked Google staff meeting videos, which are pretty creepy in their own right.

It may also inform you quite a bit. Some reviewers want to dismiss some of the info as "right wing conspiracy theory". I disagree.

More importantly, even if you do not believe that the tools have been used exactly as claimed, there is nothing that they claim is happening that CANNOT be done, and, as they point out, we have absolutely no method whatsoever, as users, to have any clue whether any of it is being done or not, and THAT is the problem.

You can dismiss the few points where you decide that they are "too conservative", and take the underlying possibilities as the real point.

And I suspect that they have barely scratched the surface.

The idea of this documentary is to present you with information on how powerful the executives are that run the internet. You didn't know someone actually runs the internet? Or do they? The last half hour is the best. The first hour is mostly educational. If you want to learn how you are being manipulated by internet searches and results, watch this movie. I am not sure why anyone would say it is biased. Is it because this movie presents you with information that you see that could sway people to your way of thinking? I think not. It presents you with what is actually happening when you use the internet. Don't believe me? Watch it and find out.

It's a little "they're coming to get you, Barbara" and they're not wrong but it is a "creepy" enough reality to not need the menacing music used.

The filmmaker hammers on how problematic Google's search biases are (just one facet) but I never once heard them mention that companies pay Google Ads to get their ads on top (and yes, they are labeled ads) of the search results page. The film seemed to imply that the results were based on internal biases at Google and/or flawed algorithms only. People are usually clicking on whatever website paid top dollar to be listed first so that the user buys their product or service.

The movie makes good points as far as need for regulations as these companies are in the telecommunications business but circumvent those regulations. It's scary how integral Google has become to our lives and how it's pretty much impossible to completely get away and still navigate our 21st century societies. It will be interesting to see where it goes.

Finally a documentary that exposes and warns about the destructive nature of these tech giants.

Add YouTube and the msm to this list.

What we have in the 21st Century is high tech Nazi Propaganda where ideas and opinions are controlled and prohibited, and other, more pernicious ideas are promoted.

Forget China and Russia as threats to our Democracy; its these Tech Tyrants that are jeopardizing our Constitution and Freedoms.

Big Tech, Big Brother on steroids!

We need to wake up to these monsters and destroy them, or feel the Iron Heel of Oppression on our necks.

The Creepy Line opens with a quote by Arthur C. Clarke,

"Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other, and we need them all."

The quote serves as a harbinger of the potential for the likes of Google and Facebook to control your decisions, which is the thesis of this film. However, it should also be read as a warning that the makers of this "documentary" are trying to control your decisions, particularly on politics. To that end, The Creepy Line is laced with messages and examples suggesting that all the perpetrators are liberals, and all the victims conservatives.

Their attempts to surreptitiously control your thoughts on politics, under the cover of a "documentary", should really give you the creeps.

Watch it and draw your own conclusions. Too short? Or just efficient?

The concentration of power in Facebook and Google is dangerous. Both are controlled by Leftists who have abused their power.

Honestly, I was VERY surprised to see Amazon Prime had this. Very. They all all kind of in bed with each other, Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc...

This is a must watch doc. MUST WATCH. After finishing it, I feel like one of the mouses in a maze being told where to go and when.

We are all sheep right now.

Think for yourself. Dont blindly follow the mob.

Peace.

10/10 Must see.

In watching this program, I became aware if three things: 1) Not everyone in it was as neutral as they would appear 2) Not all the information was inaccurate 3) Just because a correlation occurred, didn't mean it was a fact

Whether it was because I felt the undercurrent of the film and began questioning it's motivation or if the main speaker's slickster vibes reminded me of a greasy snake oil salesman, I began to ask myself questions-- Are these platforms truly any different than other media platforms? What is the actual complaint or message they wish to express? Is this any different than any other big conglomerate? How can this be morally incomprehensible if we allow other platforms to pick their messaging? Are there alternatives? Would a person HAVE to use these platforms or could they pick another? Is this fear mongering? Why is this a thing?

My conclusions were as follows: No, a person wouldn't have to use these formats. Yes, this is fear mongering. Cherry picking. Selective information release-- in hopes a person grabs on to the half answer or Skewed conclusion because part of the information given is possible. What difference is there between the Fox or CNN tilt and the one they say occurs in Facebook or Google in the sense that those who use the formats get what they 'want' due to how they choose to look at it? If I am a Fox news watcher, am I not swayed by those who are running this format to the views that are presented with the same amount of rose color in the glasses as are the CNN watchers or the Facebook users? Why assume the tilt is neutral? Why assume that there IS'NT a bias in ALL of it..? This flick serves as a reminder that MOST media has it's own agenda and that there are VERY few sources which are truly neutral. Facebook and Google are no different than ANY other -- though both might have a mathematical formula to narrow to the median view rather than a specific agenda when using the information-- making them categorically the same as other outlets. If a person spent 10 mins looking up the main cast of players in this flick, they would learn -- rather quickly-- that those with the biggest opinions tended to be those who had the most to gain from breaching trust between the viewer and these companies. Weird, eh? 😂 Serendipitous. This is a pretty insidious attempt to create friction with these companies. It's hard to take as even vaguely credible because of how radical they pretend it is for mass media to stir opinions-- like everyone out there is so 'fair and balanced' and these are the only sources attempting to disrupt the perfectly neutral and unbiased presentation of information that we currently have-- Bbawhahahahaha!! ( Big wink, big wink)

Watch it if you enjoy being treated like a mushroom. A stupid mushroom.

Well made doc, just seemed rather biased. Invoking fear and paranoia to disguise right wing agenda? Maybe...

Wow! Talk about brainwashing...This show discloses how they do it! The show uses technological terminology but puts this all into everyday language so we can understand how the Big Tech manipulates children's minds and all world politics. If we want free speech and free thought, we really need to watch this movie watch this movie and act now.

Lot's of conspiratorial claims, but no real evidence to back it up. The search research discussed is generic and not specific to Google or Facebook. Some of the scenes show information that's inconsistent with claims of censorship and indicates a lack of technical understanding how the internet and Google work. The ominous background music eventually became very tiring.

I really wish unbiased filmmakers would explore this issue as seeing a documentary on the topic of manipulation by propaganda producers made me turn it off midway. Some good points were made but not enough to keep me distracted from the right-leaning message running underneath an important headline. It's a shame this topic wasn't approached as genuinely as it deserves to be.

I'll start by saying that if you want a similar documentary but that is much better in the way that, despite its own faults, is a lot more unbiased I would recommend you watch The Social Dilemma instead.

While The Creepy Line is pretty well produced as far as documentaries go, it's pretty clear it is very much geared towards conservatives and rehashing their popular message about being suppressed by most mainstream platforms. In that regard, I am not sure if they are completely missing the irony, or if they are fully embracing it considering most of what the documentary is trying to convey is how biased the information we are exposed to can be. Pass.

I was actually hoping that I might pick up on a couple of updated tech tips to avoid tracking but found a program focused on scaring viewers into thinking big tech is trying to turn the US into a totalitarian state. That is literally the focus closing argument. Each of the data collection issues they raised is easily avoided. A more organized edit with quick tips after each segment to show viewers how to delete their search history, phone tracking, browse and search anonymously, cultivate or delete their social media feeds etc... would have been much more interesting. Somehow they completely overlooked pixel tracking which is arguably more invasive than many of their other privacy concerns. Again could have been followed a segment that pixel tracking can be circumvented with a little effort.

A lot of bad or misleading information in this. Not sure you can call it a documentary when one of the interviewees repeatedly states that facts are irrelevant.

As what must be the result of poor editing, one of the primary interviewees appears to claim that he was censored for an act that was performed after the alleged censorship. To accomplish this seemingly impossible task google must have been using their precogs. This same person later admits to have actively engaged in small scale voter manipulation of an election in India in a misguided attempt to warn of the dangers of voter manipulation. Later as what I can only hope is another result of poor editing this person claims to have been taken offline completely based on not being able to access google.com. This is clearly not the case unless 100% of your online presence is hosted by google. Anyone that is not capable of circumventing this restriction and restoring full access to google services with a new account in less than 5 minutes should not be put forward as a technical expert. While complaining about bias a politician is allowed to claim something as scientific fact that is absolutely not a scientific fact with no opportunity for rebuttal or correction by an actual scientist. If only this interviewee realized he was meant to laugh at Archie Bunker not with him.

A couple of obvious key points are overlooked. Progressives are by definition trying to make progress, improve things, build the future etc. By the same definition conservatives should want slowed or controlled progress but contemporary stances have actually stated a desire to revert to a previous "again" time. The result of those positions is that there will never be equal representation of those views at tech companies trying to build the future. Difficult to compete as a conservative tech company using punch cards and vacuum tubes. The previous point has and will continue to naturally reinforce itself with a couple of rare exceptions for all of human existence. The second major point this program overlooks in its tech bias argument is that facts matter. If a search engine repeatedly serves its visitors with false, misleading or irrelevant results those visitors will learn not to rely on its service. Internet search is not the only source of information. Search results need to align with information that we receive from other sources. Yelp would go out of business pretty quickly if 100% of their results were 5 stars reviews of McDonalds.

Looking at his previous works, I imagine Schweitzer will keep pumping out his bias "anti-bias" propaganda. I challenge their production team to do so without the use of technologies invented by progressives. Good luck working with no computers or cameras. Not sure how you would distribute your project as clearly walking, crawling even slithering on the ground were all evolutionary efforts at making progress. I'd say have fun painting on the walls of your cave but even those people were likely thinking of a brighter future!

The right wing, as it so often does, pulls the 'persecution' card, arguing that Google and Facebook are blocking conservative information/favoring progressives, blah, blah... So if you're wondering why Pizzagate and other such conspiracies, er, important news stories aren't being spread around the Internet enough, you'll love this--it tells you exactly what you want to here..

This documentary wants to show you that google and Facebook are running the world and controlling your every move. Not once did they have a guest on that wasn't fully against the entire tech world. They completely ignore several important points, such as never mentioning that google and Facebook make money from selling ads, not from controlling elections.

It uses the biased strategy of taking small facts like "google shut down the entire internet for 40 minutes" and not mentionining that it was caused by an unintentional bug, not by a rogue developer who wanted to censor conservative voices. Or mentioning the google "packet sniffing" scandal and not explaining google's response that it was caused by a bug (and that there is basically no value in that information). Or mentioning that certain government agencies use google docs, perhaps because they felt that it's a superior product to everything else on the market?

Does not really give you anything you didn't already know and I feel some of the people complaining about Google were not telling the full story! Don't bother watching. Very right wing and obsessed with conspiracies but conveniently left out Cambridge Analitica, Brexit and Trump!