You can use movie night to reveal the influence of the internet on teen’s (and all of our) lives. Here are a couple of documentaries that will raise some issues worth talking about. One is a cautionary tale about how you can be fooled and another is about how the internet and social media can be used to make a difference in the world.
Catfish (Documentary, probably PG-13)
Two filmmakers documented the development of their brother Nev’s online relationship with a woman who lived thousands of miles away. As Nev falls in love, they begin to discover discrepancies that turn to shocking surprises when the three of them take a road trip to visit his online love. Nothing graphic and you really get caught up in the mystery. Sweetly sad and even sympathetic revelation of his “girlfriend.” You just never know.
#chicagogirl: The Social Network Takes On A Dictator (Documentary, probably PG-13)
An American teenage girl uses the full range of social media to show the world the brutality of the Assad regime in Syria. A remarkable story of how a teenager is helping a revolution half a world away. There is a lot of good you can do on the internet, if you quit spending all your time making selfies to update your Instagram!
Here are a few other documentaries worth checking about the effects of the internet and social media on the lives of teens: In Real Life, We Live In Public, Triumph of the Nerds, Terms and Conditions May Apply, #140 characters: A documentary about twitter
You can find all kinds of resources including an extensive list of movies that have a point by visiting the resource pages over on my website.
