The Cleaners

We already knew that fake news gets pumped around. And also that our online behaviour determines what gets shown on everyone’s timeline on social media. But that thousands of Filipino content moderators are actively deciding every day what actually gets seen on the web, so that our timelines are pleasant or at least non-violent? This fact was hidden until recently.

Propaganda or free newscast? With hardened eyes and continually learning about sex terms and jihadist flags, this immense workforce decide on thousands of newly placed videos and pictures. In their revealing debut documentary The Cleaners, Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck infiltrate this shadow industry.

The internet is not as neutral and democratic as it pretends. High-placed tech experts and (ex-)cleaners speak about the need for and practice of these actions. From conversations with victims of this censorship, it seems that cleaners help steer the course of history.

Followed by a Critics' Choice debate on Sun 28 Jan, 16:30, de Doelen Jurriaanse Zaal.