The Cleaners

This documentary examines the hidden world of digital content moderation. It explores how social media companies employ people and algorithms to remove prohibited material, such as pornography and violence, from the internet. The film travels from the Silicon Valley to the Philippines to investigate how this industry operates and the influence these corporations have over the information users see. Through interviews with technical experts and former moderators, the narrative considers the relationship between internet censorship and government control.

Directed by Hans Block and Moritz Riesewick, this was the first of two listed collaborations between the pair, followed by Eternal You in 2024. The screenplay was written by Georg Tschurtschenthaler, Block, and Riesewick. This international production involved companies from Germany, the Netherlands Antilles, Brazil, Italy, and the Netherlands, including WDR, NDR, VPRO, and I Wonder Pictures. Since its release in 2018, the film has maintained a consistent reception among viewers, holding a rating of 7.1 on IMDb based on 1,900 votes and a matching 7.1 on TMDB from 60 votes.