Warning: This interview contains spoilers for theBlack Mirrorseason 5 episode “Smithereens.”
It starts as the Uber ride from hell.
CHARLIE BROOKER: No, I think that’s a very accurate comparison.
Credit: Netflix
They both center on an unusual event taking place and you see the concentric ripples spinning off that.
So that’s correct.
And we knew we wanted to do a contemporary episode without any sci-fi elements at all.
BROOKER: I think “Shut Up and Dance” is also feasible today.
I don’t quite know what we are.
BROOKER: I did zero research on who the heads of these companies are.
And immediately his timeline was full of people saying, “Ahhhhh!
This platform is overrun by Nazis!
What are you doing?!”
And I thought there was irony in him taking himself off [his own platform].
Fair enough, good for him.
I thought that shows he’s a contemplative guy.
We wanted to ensure he was a slightly unusual presence.
He’s sort of an enlightened tech bro.
He’s not a villain.
He’s conflicted and we see he’s a bit lost too.
BROOKER: He’s one of the founders of this company.
You’ve got a responsibility to grow the company and to your shareholders.
But you also have an ethical responsibility.
I hope we’ve got that right.
It will be interesting to see what Jack Dorsey makes of it.
JONES: He’ll be too distracted to watch it.
So what’s your opinion on the so-called deplatforming debate?
Should a platform [like Twitter or Facebook] be an open platform?
Or should owners take more steps to moderate their content?
BROOKER: I don’t have a simple answer for that.
Platforms as they existand this goes for YouTube as wellreward extremity and performance.
And extremity and performance are entertaining.
But grandstanding is not useful in terms of debate and social cohesion.
But in terms of deplatforming, I don’t know.
Do you want that stuff on your connection?
If you’re just going to let it run unfettered, that is on you.
So that’s for them to decide.
What happened next?"
Or did I read too much into it?
BROOKER: That’s not necessarily the intention.
But that’s a perfectly valid interpretation.
But I almost prefer your interpretation.
I should have just said, “Yes you are right.”
This is one part of a three-part interview.
UPDATE:All 23Black Mirrorepisodes ranked(including season 5)
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