There’s no denying that social media, and the internet in general, have made this pandemic far more bearable, as it offered us some entertainment and escapism during those times when we needed it most. Technology has also helped many of us continue our jobs and schooling even when we’re staying safe at home.
But like many things in life, the benefits of today’s technology has a flip side. Some fear its power for surveillance, others worry that misinformation spreads faster online, and many of us are also aware of the crimes being committed through the internet’s many platforms, some of which are platforms we use everyday.
To further fuel these fears, certain films and shows have also been released, fully embracing the potential of these concepts as tools for horror and suspense. On this list, we round up such titles, both fictional and documentaries, that remind us that the internet can be a scary place.
Clickbait (Series)
Watch it on Netflix
A mysterious video pops up online where a man named Nick Brewer is holding signs that state ‘I abuse women’, ‘I killed a woman,’ and ‘At 5 million views, I die.’ This turns the lives of the Brewer family upside down, as they search for answers on why the loving man of the house is kidnapped and is made to pay for these accusations.
Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (Series)
Watch it on Netflix
This true crime docuseries follows a group of internet sleuths as they try to track down the person who posts videos of himself killing cats online. But the mystery becomes more serious when the hooded figure’s next video depicted real murder.
Black Mirror (Series)
Watch it on Netflix
This widely popular British anthology series centers on the dark side of technology and social media. The episodes depict dark, dystopian scenarios that involve online surveillance, social media narcissism, and virtual reality among others.
CAM (Film)
Watch it on Netflix
This mystery-thriller follows the cam girl Alice who streams mature live shows online. Just when her ranking on the website starts to go up, a doppelganger locks her out of her account and starts streaming new content. The film adds a horror twist to online pornography while feeding on the viewers’ fears about online identity theft.
Unfriended: Dark Web (Film)
Watch it on YouTube
In this computer screen horror film, a man named Matias discovers a laptop at a cyber café lost-and-found and uses it to call his friends. While it begins as a casual reunion between pals, the video call takes a dangerous turn when Matias discovers that the device is connected to the dark web, and someone else has been watching them from behind a screen.
Searching (Film)
Watch it on YouTube
This gripping film centers on the disappearance of the teenager Margot. By investigating her laptop and following her digital footprints, her father David tries to uncover the truth behind her disappearance by connecting the clues found on her photos, videos, and other posts online.
Spree (Film)
Joe Keery of Stranger Things fame stars as Kurt Kunkle in this thriller film. Obsessed on achieving that online fame, Kurt uses his job as the rideshare driver to kill people and livestream it for his twisted take of social media stardom.
Host (Film)
Host is a horror film that adds a supernatural twist to online video calls. Released amidst the pandemic, the movie follows six friends who perform a séance online. When strange occurences happen in their homes, they begin to suspect that they have summoned a demonic entity.
Hard Candy (Film)
Hard Candy is often described as a disturbing film that will keep you at the edge of your seat. When the photographer Jeff meets up with the young girl he’d been talking to online, he begins to think that it was his lucky day. But the tables turn when the young girl drugs him and forces him to confess his sins.
The Social Dilemma (Film)
Watch it on Netflix
This documentary film explores the dark side of social media. Through interviews with the designers and engineers who worked on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, the docufilm details how social media controls the behavior of its users, and its much bigger adverse effects on society and democracy.
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