Worth a Watch
Tech documentaries, series, films, and shorts that inform and entertain
Getting familiar with the current tech landscape for kids and teens has never been so easy, thanks to these series and documentaries.
They are listed chronologically (most recent first):
The AI Doc (at Sundance and SXSW 2026, releasing March 27, 2026) - this one took Sundance and SXSW by storm, featuring interviews with prominent figures and CEOs in the tech world, exploring AI and all that could do wrong (and right).
Molly vs. The Machines (March 2026) - the story of Molly Russell, a 14-year-old teen in the UK who “came home from school, finished her homework and said goodnight to her family…and then took her own life.” This one dives deep into the impact that a handful of tech CEOs in California have upon children across the world. Co-written by Shoshanna Zuboff, author of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, this one is a must-watch.
Ghost in the Machine (at Sundance, 2026 - awaiting trailer to share) - A deep dive into AI and its inventors, from Valerie Veatch, called by some “an urgent technological horror story”.
Your Attention Plz (at SXSW, March 2026) - a dive into the attention economy and what we consumers can do to shift it to better serve humans - awaiting the trailer, and excited to see it.
Can’t Look Away (2025) - This film explores the tragic ways that tech industry profits are put above people, following the stories of children harmed by social media, and their families’ efforts to hold the companies accountable.
The Safety Illusion: A Parent’s Guide to Smartphones (2025) - trailer here. UK production detailing what’s happened to kids since the introduction of smartphones, available online for free - part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here.
Adolescence (2025) - This award-winning Netflix series explores the murder of a teen by a 13-year-old peer, the dark online world many young boys find themselves immersed in, and the impact that world has upon their real lives.
Come Back Home (2025) - teens who lost loved ones to Fentanyl poisoning talk about their experiences losing their loved ones due to fake pills bought online.
A Stone Unturned: A Documentary About Screen Time and the First Years of Life (2025) - have you heard of “virtual autism”? Young children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder show marked reductions, and even reversals of autism-like symptoms, after removing screens from the home. It appears that there may be a distinction between “classic autism” and “virtual autism”, the development of which is partly or largely due to high screen use in early childhood. Explore the research and families undergoing this experience here.
Social Studies (2024) - This series follows teens in Los Angeles as they return from Covid lockdown, and documents the myriad ways that Gen-Z adolescence has been impacted by screens . FX series available on Hulu.
Anxious Nation (2022) - Gen-Z often gets labeled as the “Anxious Generation”, but what has been missed is the underlying anxiety in those of us parenting them, and those of us parenting in general today. How can anxiety be used for good? Can we get a hold of it and harness its power to bring about positive things? This documentary dives into all of this.
Childhood 2.0 (2021) - a wonderful documentary filling GenX and Millennial parents in on the current landscape for kids. Watch for free here
The Social Dilemma (2020) - many of us probably watched this in the first days of the pandemic, and it’s worth another watch if you haven’t seen it since then. Produced by the Center for Humane Technology, it features former Big Tech employees discussing the unintended (and intended) impacts of their inventions, and how these impact kids and parents via a story of a fictional family.
Brain, Heart, World (2020) - a 3-part documentary produced by Fight the New Drug, a non-religious, non-legislative non-profit that supports youth and adults in understanding the impact of online pornography on the brain, the heart, and the world. This is ok to watch with older teens to engage them in a discussion of these topics, but pre-screen first for appropriateness.
Coded Bias (2020) - how do the unconscious biases of those who create, design, and code our technology impact the rest of us, especially those of us not like them? This documentary dives deep into this critically important topic, and led to the creation of the Algorithmic Justice League.
The Screenagers Movies (multiple release years)- the four Screenagers movies available tackle different aspects of screen impacts on children as they age, and are available for screenings at schools and community groups.
The Great Hack (2019) - This one blew my mind, having missed most of the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2017 while I was busy with the daily care of tiny children. This film documents how the information we share online is bought and sold and weaponized by those who own it, and explores how our data was used to influence the outcomes of multiple international elections, Brexit, and the 2016 US election. Absolutely worth watching, it is paradigm-altering.
The Creepy Line (2018) - “The Creepy Line reveals the stunning degree to which society is manipulated by Google and Facebook and blows the lid off the remarkably subtle – hence powerful – manner in which they do it. Offering first-hand accounts, scientific experiments and detailed analysis, the film examines what is at risk when these tech titans have free rein to utilize the public’s most private and personal data”. Full movie available for free here.
The Cleaners (2018) - a look inside the dark world of contract workers in Southeast Asia and the global south who are employed (with very low wages) to screen, delete, and filter the most heinous, violent, and disturbing postings online.
Short Video: Dear Smartphone (2025) - a short video produced by the youth of Wired Human Youth Collective
See Also: The following talks, documentaries, and films focus on broader tech implications that concern us all. They’re important, paradigm-shifting explorations worth watching.
Why AI Is Our Ultimate Test and Greatest Invitation (2025) - Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology speaks on the TED stage in April 2025 about AI, and what is needed going forward to ensure AI serves humanity, and not the other way around.
The Deadly Consequences of Social Media (2024) - Four Corners - this 45-min Australian program looks at the impact of disinformation in the US and UK, how this has translated into real life violence, and how social media platforms are abandoning all attempts to keep disinformation off their platforms.
The AI Dilemma (2023) - recorded stage presentation to tech industry workers about Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, former Google employees and founders of The Center for Humane Technology, about the dangers of AI and what the world needs to do to manage it responsibly.