Parents' Guide to The Cost of Convenience

This documentary is a powerful examination of how technology companies and internet dependence are affecting human rights, privacy, and mental health. Donnelly provides an in-depth chronicle of the ways that seemingly harmless internet use can have a dark side related to data mining and surveillance. And the impressive collection of academics and experts he interviews agree that most technology users aren't fully aware of how "Big Data" works or how unethical tech companies like Meta, Google, and TikTok can be when it comes to prioritizing profit over consumer protection. The documentary is alarming—at times even terrifying—but with good reason, according to the interview subjects.

But The Cost of Convenience isn't a call to completely unplug. It's a thoughtful reminder that there's a real cost to the ease of having computers in our pockets. The film calls for balance and informed consent: knowing exactly what you're giving up when you take that online quiz or share that funny viral video. This documentary should be mandatory viewing in school digital citizenship lessons, especially for kids who don't remember a world before the internet and smartphones. (Some of the most compelling parts of the film are the conversations with the founders and patients of RESTART, a rehab center for the growing threat of tech addiction.) As the Marvel proverb goes, "with great power comes great responsibility," and, so far, the tech companies refuse to take responsibility for their power, so users must stand up for themselves.