Investigative Documentary Peeks Behind the Curtains at Google and Facebook

Janson Media today announced the global release of the new investigative documentary, The Creepy Line. The feature-length film reveals the stunning degree to which society is manipulated by Google and Facebook, and the remarkably subtle manner in which they do it. The title of the film is derived from the words of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. During a 2010 interview he explained Google's code of conduct: "The Google policy on a lot of things is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it." However, as Dr. Robert Epstein explains in the film, "Google crosses the creepy line every day."

Containing ground-breaking interviews with Jordan B. Peterson, Luther Lowe, Peter Schweizer, Marlene Jaeckel, Daniel Stevens, Barry Schwarz, and others, The Creepy Line offers an explosive look at the pernicious interventions done by Google and Facebook on their supposedly "neutral platforms." Many potential experts refused to speak to the filmmakers on the record for fear of being blacklisted by Google or Facebook. Such blacklisting is easily and quietly accomplished by algorithm engineers who can prevent websites, Youtube channels and Facebook pages from "surfacing" in search results.

The Creepy Line takes the conversation about data privacy and control further than ever before by examining what Google and Facebook do with their data. Not only is it aggregated and sold, but it is also used it to mold, massage, and manipulate the public consciousness while influencing opinion on a vast scale -- all with the goal of transforming society to fit a particular worldview.

Offering first-hand accounts, scientific experiments, and detailed analysis, The Creepy Line examines the inherent risk we face as a society when these two global tech titans have free reign to utilize the public's most private and personal data. Manipulation is unavoidable, no matter how well- intentioned. Without question the tech giants have already crossed Eric Schmidt's "creepy line."

The film was produced by New York-based Wandering Foot Productions and directed by M. A. Taylor, and features interviews with clinical psychologist Jordan B. Peterson, journalist Peter Schweizer, research psychologist Dr. Robert Epstein, Luther Lowe (Sr. VP for Public Policy at Yelp), and others. Epstein, a former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today magazine, takes a deeper dive into the issues presented in the film with his insightful article, How Major News Organizations, Universities and Businesses Surrender Their Privacy to Google.

Writer K.V. Turley tackles the subject in a piece for Crisis, Google is Watching You. As Turley says, "Google knows everything you’ve ever searched for. It knows what you’re looking for, sometimes even before you do. And it never forgets any search you’ve made." And that's just part of it. Turley continues, "Google knows every video you have watched on its video platform YouTube." And its free email service, Gmail, used by 44 percent of Americans, allows Google to reads your emails. " In fact, even if you don't use its free service, Google still has access to any and all emails you send to Gmail users.

Janson Media expects a warmer reception for the film in Europe and Asia, especially in Germany, France and Scandinavia, where privacy concerns are a much more pressing issue than in the United States. The European Union is especially concerned about threats posed by American multinational technology corporations. Efforts are already underway to develop alternative search engines (such as Qwant) that respect privacy and do not treat users (i.e. people) as products.

"Unfortunately, the major media outlets in the United States have already decided that the film promotes a right-wing agenda, so they aren't likely to consider it fairly," said Stephen Janson, president of Janson Media. "But in our view, issues of privacy and the manipulation of speech go far beyond the simple polemic of Democrat vs. Republican or liberal vs. conservative. No matter the messenger, the fundamental premise of the film is far too significant to ignore."

In the United States The Creepy Line had a limited theatrical release and is now available on Amazon and iTunes. Janson Media has also released the film on Amazon Prime Video SVOD platforms in Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, as well as Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. The company will release the film to its international broadcast clients at MIPTV 2019 in Cannes, France in April, with pre-market screenings at MIPDOC, the world’s largest conference and co-production marketplace and screenings library for the factual community. Janson clients can screen the entire film here. Read more at the film's official website.