Channel 4 has commissioned a three-part factual drama about big tech and disinformation from Halcyons Heart Films (Dirty Business, Partygate).
The commission for Billionaires (w.t.) comes amid Meta’s $18 billion settlement related to child safety on Facebook and Instagram. The drama, drawing from real-world evidence, will explore the victims and beneficiaries of social media disinformation.
Joe Bullman, writer and director, noted, “The algorithmic corporations are corroding the mental health of our young people and taking a wrecking ball to our democracies, and there is evidence that the Tech Bros who control them have designed them to do these things. Like tobacco company execs before them, they claim that their products are not addictive and do no harm. Will Billionaires (w.t.) help deliver the Tech Bros their Big Tobacco moment?”
Rita Daniels, commissioning editor for documentaries at Channel 4, noted, “Billionaires (w.t.) is a gripping and incredibly timely factual drama that explores one of the defining issues of our age. Drawing on real-world evidence, it shines a light on the human consequences of disinformation and asks urgent questions about power, accountability and truth in the digital era. Halcyons Heart Films have a proven track record of bringing complex political stories to life with pace and ambition, and we’re thrilled to be working with them again.”
Alisa Pomeroy, head of documentaries and factual entertainment at Channel 4, noted, “At Channel 4, we are committed to telling stories that help audiences better understand the forces shaping the world around them. em>Billionaires is exactly that kind of project: bold, thought-provoking and deeply relevant. By examining the extraordinary influence of some of the world’s most powerful technology companies through compelling human stories, this drama promises to spark conversation and offer insight into a subject that affects us all.”
