Watch Black Code

Black Code is a documentary film that explores the impact of the internet and digital technologies on the nature of activism and privacy in the twenty-first century. The film tells the story of how technology has been used by governments and corporations to monitor and control citizens, and the ways that activists have responded by using the same tools to fight back.

The film is based on the book "Black Code: Surveillance, Privacy, and the Dark Side of the Internet" by Ron Deibert, the director of the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. Deibert and his team have been at the forefront of investigating and exposing online censorship and surveillance, and the film uses their work as a starting point for a wider exploration of the issues at hand.

The movie takes us on a journey around the world, from China and Iran to Syria and the United States, to see how digital technology is being used to monitor and suppress dissent. We see the impact of these tactics on ordinary people, from bloggers in Iran to pro-democracy activists in Syria, and learn about the tools they are using to protect themselves and their communities.

One of the main themes of the film is the tension between the potential of the internet to promote freedom and democracy, and the ways that it can be used as a tool of repression. We see how governments and corporations have exploited the internet to create new forms of surveillance and control, from China's "Great Firewall" to the NSA's mass surveillance programs. At the same time, we learn about the ways that activists are using the internet to promote free speech and access to information, from the Anonymous hacktivist collective to the Syrian citizen journalists who risk their lives to document the war.

The film also explores the ways that digital technology is changing the nature of activism itself. We see how social media and mobile technology have enabled new forms of protest and organization, from the Arab Spring to the Occupy movement. But we also learn about the risks and limitations of these tools, from the dangers of online echo chambers to the ease with which governments can use them to track and infiltrate activist networks.

Throughout the film, we hear from a range of experts and activists who provide insight and context for the issues at hand. These include Deibert himself, as well as fellow academics, journalists, and activists from around the world. Their perspectives help us to understand the complex and rapidly evolving landscape of digital activism and surveillance, and to appreciate the importance of these issues for the future of democracy and human rights.

Overall, Black Code is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that provides an important and timely analysis of the impact of digital technology on our world. Through its vivid storytelling, it helps us to see the challenges and opportunities of this new era, and leaves us with a deeper understanding of the ways that technology is shaping our lives and our future.

Black Code is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes.