Reviewing SMVLC’s Movie Can’t Look Away

Hi, I’m Matt Bergman. I’m the founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center. Welcome to the Social Media Justice Podcast.

On this show, we dive into the legal, social, and emotional impact of social media on kids and teens, and what we can do as citizens and parents to hold tech companies accountable. Whether we’re talking to experts, sharing real stories, or unpacking the latest legal developments, our goal is simple: to expose the harm, demand accountability, and fight for change. Thanks for being here. Let’s get started.

What Is Can’t Look Away About, and Why Was It Important to Make?

Can’t Look Away is a documentary film produced by Bloomberg about Social Media Victims Law Center and the work that we’ve been doing over the last two years to hold social media companies accountable for the harms that they’re inflicting on young people in the United States. It’s a behind-the-scenes look—the good, the bad, and the ugly—of how we have struggled over the years to bring our cases forward, how we’ve handled defeat, how we’ve experienced victory, and how we continue to work with parents to try to secure some measure of justice for the harms that social media platforms are doing to their kids.

Why Did Your Film Choose to Tell These Stories?

We took a long time to get around to the point when we felt comfortable letting cameras come in and film us, film our clients, film our deliberations. We felt that the backstory needed to be told as well. We were the first firm in the country to bring product liability cases in court to hold social media companies accountable and to try to get around the immunity that they’d been enjoying for all too long. The reporters from Bloomberg thought they wanted to kind of look behind the scenes. It took a lot for us—I’d never done that before—but I do feel that the work is so important. We wanted to record for posterity how this process is continuing to unfold. It was a tough decision, but it shows us for what we are: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

How Did You Connect with the Families, and How Did They Come to Trust You?

When I first started representing families who had lost children from social media, we got inquiries from the media asking, would our clients be willing to be interviewed? And my default reaction was, of course not. They have no desire to share anything about this horrific loss. But in many cases, parents felt empowered. They felt that they wanted to tell their story. They wanted the world to hear their truth. They are so singularly committed toward preventing other families from suffering the same fate that befell their children. They have, in many cases, been willing to come forward. I tell their stories not only in the court of law, but in the court of public opinion.

It’s deeply humbling for me to be representing families. I have never, in 30 years of law practice, represented clients as deeply motivated for justice as these families. These families don’t care about the money. For them, it’s all about justice and accountability. And for me as a lawyer, it’s like the dream of 30 years to be representing them.

What Do You Hope Viewers Take Away About How Social Media Harms Kids?

First and foremost, I hope that parents will look at this movie and realize the clear and present danger that social media poses to the mental health and physical safety of their kids. This is not something that can be handled with benign neglect. Parents have to be proactive in monitoring what their kids are doing online, protecting them from online abuse, and having the kind of relationship and dialogue where they can find out when their kids are experiencing something harmful—and help them resolve it. That is our first and foremost hope.

Secondly, we want to show how the arc of history tilts toward justice—how just a few committed parents can take on the most wealthy and powerful companies in the world and achieve some small measure of justice. The bravery of these parents is unfathomable. The odds they face are daunting, but their commitment keeps them going. I’m hopeful that when people see this movie, they’ll realize people can make a difference. It doesn’t matter if you’re David up against Goliath—if right is on your side and you’re committed to the fight, you can achieve justice.

How Does Can’t Look Away Support Your Legal Efforts to Hold Tech Companies Accountable?

We will win or lose in the court of law, not in the court of public opinion. The strength of our arguments, the strength of our evidence, the strength of the legal merits of our claim—that will determine whether we succeed or not. I don’t believe this documentary will impact what goes on inside the courtroom. What I do believe is that it will raise awareness among parents about how dangerous social media is to their kids, and the need to hold social media companies accountable both in the legislative process and in the legal process.

What Courage Did the Families in the Film Show by Sharing Such Personal Stories?

It’s so inspiring to see parents who have suffered the worst loss imaginable take that loss and use it as a force for good—to protect other parents and other families. The courage of these families is well documented in the film. Some of them are on the road 38 weeks a year, lecturing high school and community groups and political leaders on the risks of fentanyl contamination in drugs sold online. They work tirelessly with law enforcement to highlight the need for stricter regulation of Snapchat and its drug-dealing propensities.

The Roberts family, the Desario family—these families have made countless trips to Washington to petition for congressional action to protect kids. It’s powerfully depicted in the film and testifies to how out of sadness can come good, out of horror can come some balm of rectification. You see this in these families—it’s utterly inspiring and fulfilling. I’m privileged to represent them in this struggle, even though we know it’s going to be tough and we may or may not win.

We’ve heard many responses from parents saying, “Can we show this to our PTA meeting? Can we show this in our church or synagogue? Can we show this to our community?” There’s a lot of interest by parents in sharing this film as a way to illustrate the clear and present danger of social media. Advocacy groups for children have urged more showings of this film to highlight the need for public policy advocates to get involved, to enact legislation at the state and federal level to protect kids from online harms.

We’ve seen actions and words from Congress, and many positive responses throughout the legal community—and we’re gratified by that. From the beginning, we said: if one child is saved through the work we’re doing, then everything is worthwhile. And we’re hopeful that through the release of this film and the accompanying publicity, we’ll encourage parents to take action they might not have otherwise—and that we will indeed save lives.

Is Can’t Look Away Just a Film, or Part of Something Bigger for Social Media and Youth Safety?

Can’t Look Away is testimony to the power of individuals to make a difference—whether it’s parents who’ve suffered the worst harm imaginable and show courage to take on big companies, or a scrappy little law firm without much money taking on Big Tech, or advocates going to speak to congressional leaders. It shows how, if you’re committed, believe in your cause, and are willing to work and risk loss, you can truly make a difference in this world.

We’re in a very divisive time, but the film shows the majesty of the judicial process. Not that it’s biased toward one side or another, but that it provides a forum—a place for people to petition for relief, seek justice, and be equal in the eyes of the law, even in front of the most powerful companies in the world. That doesn’t guarantee a win, but it proves there is dignity in our judicial process. For all its flaws, it provides a voice to people like our clients—and that speaks volumes about what’s still right about our system and our government.

What Do You Want Viewers to Feel After Watching Can’t Look Away, and What’s the Next Step?

After watching Can’t Look Away, I want parents to sit their kids down and find out what apps they’re using. I want them to monitor their kids’ online activity, to build trust so their kids feel safe sharing anything uncomfortable they experience online. Parents need to realize their kids aren’t necessarily safe even inside their own homes. They need to be heard. Parents must be proactive—and sometimes even aggressive—about protecting their children from the online harms so easily inflicted on them. That, to me, is the most important takeaway from Can’t Look Away.

Together, we can push for change and build a safer digital world for our kids. Until next time, stay informed and stay strong.