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Aaron Sorkin, the Oscar-winning writer of The Social Network, is working on a follow-up movie that will explore Facebook’s role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots.
Aaron Sorkin, the acclaimed screenwriter behind the 2010 film The Social Network, announced that he is working on a new movie that will delve into Facebook’s alleged role in the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol. During a live recording of The Town podcast, Sorkin revealed his plans for the project, stating, “I’ll be writing about this. I blame Facebook for January 6.”
In The Social Network, Sorkin depicted the creation and early years of Facebook, but he now believes that the tech giant played a significant role in the sharp political polarization that has gripped the United States in recent years. He accused Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg of prioritizing growth over integrity, despite his already immense personal wealth.
According to Sorkin, Facebook has been “tuning its algorithm to promote the most divisive material possible” in order to increase user engagement and keep people scrolling indefinitely. This practice, he argues, contributed to the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories that ultimately led to the events of January 6.
Many Americans rely on social media platforms like Facebook for their news, and tech companies have been criticized for both failing to verify widely shared news stories and excessively censoring content. The Capitol riot was fueled by false claims made by then-President Donald Trump about the election being “stolen” from him, with some rioters citing conspiracy theories such as QAnon.
When asked to elaborate on why he believes Facebook is responsible for the January 6 riots, Sorkin cryptically responded, “You’re going to need to buy a movie ticket.” This suggests that the upcoming film will provide a deeper exploration of the social media platform’s alleged role in the events that unfolded that day.
The Social Network was a massive commercial and critical success, grossing around $225 million at the global box office and earning eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. The film won three Oscars, and Sorkin took home the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Sorkin previously expressed interest in creating a follow-up to The Social Network, but only if director David Fincher agreed to return to the project. Fincher, who directed the original film, discussed the idea with Sorkin but cautioned that revisiting Facebook would be “a can of worms.”
The announcement of this new project generated significant buzz in the entertainment industry, with many eagerly anticipating Sorkin’s take on the complex relationship between social media and political polarization. As one of the most celebrated screenwriters of his generation, Sorkin’s involvement in the project is sure to attract both critical attention and a wide audience.
While details about the film’s plot, cast and release date remain unknown, the mere prospect of Sorkin tackling such a timely and controversial subject matter already sparked discussions about the role of social media in shaping public opinion and influencing political events. As the project develops, it will undoubtedly continue to generate interest and debate among filmgoers, tech industry observers and political commentators alike.
With AFP
