Viewers of “The Social Network” probably remember the soundtrack’s uncomfortable choral cover of “Creep”: The popular Radiohead song was used in one of the biopic’s first trailers and, when laid over a montage of various Facebook profiles, ended up making the social media platform seem pretty voyeuristic.
Recently, however, Twitter user Bob Marshall reminded us of how fitting it was: by laying it over an actual Facebook commercial. Taking advantage of the social media platform’s current data-mining controversy, he successfully drew attention to the ongoing issue and also made everyone cringe a little.
“Wow, does it sync up well,” he wrote on his Twitter.
The commercial itself already comes at an awkward time for the social media platform. Released after creator Mark Zuckerberg’s Congressional hearing in April, it highlights all of the ways that Facebook can bring people together. It features smiling faces and funny videos, before switching to a part of Zuckerberg’s trial where he’s asked how they sustain a business without charging users.
“We run ads,” he says, smirking a little. The commercial ends with the tagline: “Here together.” It was unsettling enough before Marshall added “Creep” to the video. Now, with a chorus of voices singing that they don’t belong here, it feels like a cry for help from Facebook users. The melancholic tone makes the happy imagery almost feel like propaganda. It’s fitting.
Zuckerberg was called to Congress to explain how the personal information of over 87 million users was given to a voter-profiling company called Cambridge Analytica. During the hearing, unfortunately, it became clear that many of the legislators didn’t really know how Facebook even worked, enabling him to evade questions and leave the issue still largely unresolved.
But if Marshall’s video is any indication, those 87 million people still want answers. Check out it below:
I put the choir cover of "Creep" from The Social Network over that creepy new Facebook commercial and wow does it sync up well pic.twitter.com/Ql70rWK6gs
— Bob Marshall (@bobmarshall) April 27, 2018
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