The title of the new documentary, ‘Can’t Look Away’ is a reference to the algorithms designed by social media companies to keep users glued to their platforms. The heart-rending film is ironically tough to watch, as it follows a team of lawyers battling tech giants Meta, Snap and Tik-Tok on behalf of families whose children suffered devastating harm – including suicide and drug overdoses – linked to social media.

The film was produced and directed by the Emmy Award-winning film team Matthew O’Neill and Perri Peltz, the duo who also directed ‘AXIOS on HBO’ and ‘Surveilled’ with Ronan Farrow. It was based the investigative reporting of Bloomberg News Journalist Olivia Carville on child safety in the digital world – a pressing issue that comes to life in the film. “This isn’t just a tech problem – it’s a full-blown public health disaster, and we’re only beginning to grasp the consequences,” says Peltz, who holds a Doctorate in Public Health.

‘Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media’ can be streamed on independent film platform Jolt.