Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Powerful doc explores AI and social media's impact on girls.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Miss Representation: Rise Up
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
MISS REPRESENTATION: RISE UP—a follow-up to filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom's 2011 documentary Miss Representation—further explores how women and girls can be misrepresented in the age of artificial intelligence and ubiquitous social media. Through interviews with a diverse group of young activists and emerging leaders, as well as a host of influential women (including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Amy Klobuchar, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, journalists Katie Couric, Gretchen Carlson, and Lisa Ling, and actor Jameela Jamil), the movie looks at how harmful tech can be for women and girls in particular, whether it's social media platforms pushing harmful messages, groups, and advertisements on minors; users doxxing and sharing deepfake photos of women candidates; or AI enabling people to create convincing manipulated images.
Is It Any Good?
This powerful film focuses on the continued need for media literacy, advocacy, and awareness of the dangers that social media and AI can pose to women and girls. Miss Representation: Rise Up is an ideal documentary to teach high schoolers about the importance of digital citizenship. As social media platforms continue to dominate screen time and AI makes it easier to spread disinformation, this film is a necessary watch for understanding the ways that technology can be used as a tool for misogyny and gender-based harm and hate. Audiences may already know about the frightening consequences of cyberbullying and stalking, but the movie also explores the ways AI can prevent women and girls, particularly those of color, from safely participating in the digital sphere.
What's more, Miss Representation: Rise Up examines the mental health ramifications of unrealistic and harmful gender expectations, stereotypes, and social media trends (for example, the fascination with tradwife and stay-at-home girlfriend influencers). And despite the interviewees' disturbing stories of suicide, stalking, and assault, the documentary finishes on a hopeful note, highlighting how young women and established leaders can be game changers in the currently male-dominated world of technology and use their collective voices to demand greater accountability and education.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what Miss Representation: Rise Up suggests about the relationship between media representation and women's opportunities in leadership, politics, and other positions of power. Why does representation matter?
What responsibility do tech companies, advertisers, and social media platforms have to promote more realistic and diverse representations of women? What about their responsibility for their users' health and safety?
How does the movie characterize social media and AI? What are some of the upsides of modern technology, as well as the risks? What do you know about the concept of digital citizenship?
Discuss some examples of positive representations of women and girls you've seen in movies, television, advertising, or social media. What makes them stand out?
In what ways do unrealistic beauty standards impact tweens' and teens' expectations of themselves and others? What can young people do to challenge these messages? Do you think girls are uniquely affected?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 22, 2026
- Cast : Hillary Rodham Clinton , Frances Haugen , Safiya Noble
- Director : Jennifer Siebel Newsom
- Studio : Abramorama
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism ( Civic engagement , Gender equality ) , History , STEM ( AI )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Integrity , Perseverance
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : October 28, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
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