Mark Zuckerberg on screen: the social network

More than a decade after its release, The Social Network remains one of the most talked-about tech films ever made because of how good it is. The movie is basically about the rise of Facebook and its co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and not just about the creation of a social media platform. To me, it is a sharp commentary on ambition, betrayal, friendship and the price of success in the tech world.

Mark Zuckerberg, now CEO of Meta Platforms, started Facebook in 2004 as a Harvard student with an idea that would later redefine how the world communicates. The film captures this origin story but does so through a dramatic lens, portraying Zuckerberg as a socially distant genius whose drive for success outweighs loyalty and friendship. While Zuckerberg himself has criticized the film for exaggerating his personality, I believe the movie succeeds in showing a deeper truth about startup culture even if every detail isn’t factual.

What stood out most to me is how The Social Network makes success look like something that often comes with loss. The legal battles with the Winklevoss twins and the fallout with Eduardo Saverin highlight a recurring theme,in the race to build something revolutionary, relationships can get damaged alongside. Whether or not events happened exactly as shown, these conflicts feel realistic in a world where ideas are treated as gold.

In my opinion, the film does not try to paint Zuckerberg as a villain or a hero. Instead, it presents him as someone with a complex personality, brilliant and intensely driven. This complexity is what makes the story compelling. It forces viewers to ask uncomfortable questions like "Is innovation worth it if it costs friendships?", "Does being first matter more than being fair?".

From a news perspective, the relevance of The Social Network has only grown. Today, Facebook, now Meta plays a major role in global conversations around privacy and digital influence. Watching the film now, I can’t help but see it as a warning as much as a biography, the foundations of powerful tech companies matter because they shape how power is exercised later.

Ultimately, The Social Network may not be a perfect reflection of Mark Zuckerberg’s life, but it captures the spirit of an era where technology moves faster than ethics. In my view, that is why the film still hits home amongst us. It reminds us that behind every billion-dollar platform is a human story,messy and ambitious.