More than a dozen whistleblowers from the social media giants reveal how their companies deliberately built a business model powered by manufactured outrage.
This week Four Corners delves into the murky world of algorithms with the BBC’s social media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring.
The insiders reveal how the social media companies are driven by division, and how they have paved the way for radicalisation, real-world violence and fractured societies.
They paint a troubling picture of decisions made by the companies that promoted violence, sexual blackmail and terrorism to capture users’ attention while putting their safety at risk.
Leaked documents from current and former staff also show how the harm caused by the engagement arms race among social media companies was actively ignored.
Inside the Rage Machine exposes how the social media giants decided to fan the flames of misinformation on their platforms, instead of extinguishing them when they had the chance.
This compelling documentary offers an inside look at the social algorithms that shape how we think, feel and see the world, and the consequences of a business model that profits from manipulating them.
Four Corners: Inside the Rage Machine is reported by Marianna Spring and directed and produced by Rob Farquhar for the BBC and will go to air Monday April 13 at 8:30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.