Documentaries & Films
Citizenfour – Not just a documentary about Edward Snowden and the 2013 mass surveillance disclosures, but partly filmed during Snowden’s initial contact with journalists. An intense, first-hand look at a pivotal moment in privacy history.
Do You Trust This Computer? – A thought-provoking film on artificial intelligence, big data, and how mass data collection shapes our future.
Terms and Conditions May Apply – A sharp, fast-paced documentary examining how corporations and governments exploit the fine print in online agreements to strip away privacy rights.
The Social Dilemma – A Netflix docudrama exposing the manipulative mechanics of social media platforms and their role in eroding privacy, autonomy, and mental health.
United States of Secrets – A two-part PBS Frontline investigation into the NSA’s secret mass surveillance programs and their far-reaching impact on democracy and public trust.
Weapons of Mass Surveillance – A BBC documentary revealing how Middle Eastern autocracies deploy spyware and surveillance tech, and how Western companies and governments are often complicit.
Series & Fictional Works
Bird’s Eye View – A fictional thriller exploring the proliferation of aerial surveillance technology and its chilling implications for privacy, security, and state power.
Person of Interest – A critically acclaimed sci-fi/crime series that blends action with a chillingly plausible depiction of AI-driven mass surveillance and predictive policing.
Talks & Short Videos
Safe and Sorry – Terrorism & Mass Surveillance | Kurzgesagt – A visually stunning, highly informative 6-minute breakdown of the privacy vs. security debate.
The Power of Privacy | The Guardian – A concise film from the newspaper that helped break the 2013 NSA revelations, explaining why privacy matters in the modern world.
Why Privacy Matters | Glenn Greenwald at TED – A brilliant TED talk from one of Snowden’s key journalists on why privacy is essential to freedom and democracy.