The YouTube Effect

2022

Documentary / Mystery / Thriller

7
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 67% · 20 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 67%
IMDb Rating 5.6/10 10 447 447

Plot summary

YouTube has garnered over 2.3 billion users and is worth up to $300 billion. At its center is its algorithm, something that threatens to destroy not only the platform, but the entire Internet.

Director

Alex Winter Photo
Alex Winter

Top cast

Donald Trump Photo
Donald Trump as Self - 45th President of the United States
Carly Rae Jepsen Photo
Carly Rae Jepsen as Self - Musician
Mark Fischbach Photo
Mark Fischbach as Self - YouTube Creator
Ian Hecox Photo
Ian Hecox as Self - Interview Subject
720p.BluRay 720p.WEB 1080p.BluRay 1080p.WEB
914.19 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 39 min
Seeds ...
913.01 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 39 min
Seeds 1
1.83 GB
1920*1080
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 39 min
Seeds 2
1.83 GB
1920*1080
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 39 min
Seeds 6

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by SleepyMaya 1 / 10

Doesn't say anything we don't already know

I expected some interesting cover of YouTube's history through the years, but instead the whole movie just states the obvious (literally starts by telling you how the internet itself didn't always exist, wow really?) and quickly turns into just being about how YouTube has an algorithm that picks videos to recommend to you and that is affecting what you might watch, and there is a reason why some things might get recommended to you more than others, and the reason is (get ready to be shocked) that they want you to stay on the website for as long as possible, and of course some people can abuse the algorithm to make it recommend specific things to you. From that moment on, that algorithm is pretty much the only thing they talk about for the rest of the movie. This maybe would be interesting if the movie was made 10 years ago, but by now I think we are all pretty much aware of that already, considering it's been talked about everywhere for years. It could at least reveal new information or interesting facts about the topic to make it fresh, but really it didn't, it just repeated the same old things we all already know. There are barely maybe 4 YouTubers interviewed on this so called documentary about YouTube, two of them were from the same channel, the other two I've never even heard of.The movie also seem to push some political agenda to you, which while honestly it wasn't an agenda that I disagree with, it did make me feel like I was watching a political movie pretending to be a movie about YouTube and I didn't appreciate that.None of the information in the movie is wrong, but considering it really doesn't say anything we don't already know, plus feeling like the whole documentary was just an excuse to shove some political message into our face (regardless of what that message is), I sadly couldn't help but feel like I've wasted my time watching it and that's why I gave it the low score.
Reviewed by melievox 2 / 10

Another disappointment

I should have known better, but I was really hoping (once again) for an informative, unbiased, documentary relating to social media. Unfortunately, this did not deliver.I will say that some of the content in this documentary was informative and interesting, however it was not very far into this documentary when it became clear to me that it was yet another biased documentary I wasted money on.Allow me to sum it up for you. This documentary is half providing you with general inside information and half talking about how the extreme "right-wing" used YouTube to indoctrinate people and spread conspiracy theories.I was REALLY hoping that because they made it a point to mention the "alt-right" so much, that they would, at some point, mention the "alt-left", because being unbiased includes showing both sides, especially as it relates to this documentary. However, they did not. Has the alt-left not capitalized on YouTube and used it in the same way as the alt-right!?!? Of course they have. Just say it. It's a fact. So mention both, or focus on neither.Maybe you'll like this. Maybe you won't. But I can tell you that if you're looking for an unbiased, informative documentary with absolutely no agenda whatsoever, this isn't it.
Reviewed by tdwillis-26273 7 / 10

Concentrated/Focused

It was a decent documentary but missed opportunities.A pretty concentrated and focused film! Perhaps more suited for those just beginning to become aware of social media issues. It's definitely a step in the right direction.I'd be interested in other areas of concern besides the more obvious ones stated in this documentary.I.e. Digital addiction, effects on cognitive,social,mental etc on children who are now being inundated with constant digital input.I do have to say, I was leaning more towards the concept of freedom of speech and taking personal responsibility in what a person allows for themselves and their families (I still believe that) but this documentary has me pondering if it won't take more then that. Not sure. Will continue to ponder In the end, I suppose thats what a decent documentary should do.
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