[waves splashing]
["'Tis the Gift To Be Simple"
playing on cell phone]
Yes, we received your payment.
No, it wasn't late, but it was for $78.13,
and the bill was for $78.31.
Okay, great.
No, thank you.
["Metal Guru" playing]
[car sputters]
[car horn honking]
[car horn honking]
[horn honking]
["Farewell Transmission" playing]
I think it's the intake manifold.
- Was I right?
- Not even close.
I think I just like saying
"intake manifold."
Maybe when I get a job,
I'll get Triple A.
I thought you worked
at the water company.
Temping.
- How's your parents?
- They're doing okay.
I should, um, get going,
actually, for dinner.
But, um, we should make a plan.
I'll send you a text.
Or we could do that now
since we're both here.
- What?
- Nothing. [chuckles]
Okay.
[car door slams]
["Something Old Something New" playing]
[man] Nice of Mercer.
I always thought you two
would make a good...
- Mom.
- Couple.
Boy from the neighborhood?
That would've been cute.
[laughs]
Remember when he fixed the roof?
- Stop.
- [laughs]
- He's not...
- I know, I know.
Mm.
Any word on the insurance?
Oh, they won't cover the cost of IGIV.
It's $40,000.
So, you know, surprise, surprise.
It's not on their list.
[Dad] Oh, enough of all that.
Come on, honey.
- Help me up.
- [Mom] Okay.
- Here. You got it?
- [dishes clanking]
Thanks, Mae.
- [Mom] Okay?
- Yeah.
- [Dad grunts]
- [Mom] That's it.
Well, not so fast.
[Dad grunts]
- [Mom] Okay and turn... just...
- [Dad grunts]
- [Mom] Ready?
- [Dad] Yeah. I'm good.
- Yeah.
- [Mom] Okay.
["'Tis the Gift to be Simple"
playing on cell phone]
[people chatting]
- [woman] What are you doing right now?
- I'm at work.
I come here each day and in return,
I receive money to buy goods and services.
Ah, well, I've got to be quick.
I'm in Germany.
- Why are you in Germany?
- Regulatory mess.
Those guys did not screw around,
but listen, I got you an interview.
- What?
- I got you an interview tomorrow.
- [screams]
- [laughing] Yes, I did.
Really? No.
[laughing] Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,
I did, tomorrow.
Holy shit, Annie, I love you.
[Annie] Remember,
it's just customer experience.
So answer phones, help people,
what you're already doing
but now a real company.
I know, it's perfect.
Tons of people started there.
[Mae] I know, I know. Thank you.
Stop saying that.
We're hiring a hundred people this month.
- One of them may as well be you.
- Right, good.
This doesn't mean you're in.
You have to kill the interview.
Know the Circle inside out.
I'm back next week.
By then, you'll be hired
if you kill the interview.
[Mae] Okay, I will.
[Annie] You can do it, Mae. Own it!
[indistinct chattering]
[man] How would you describe
what the Circle is to say,
- your grandmother?
- Take True You, for example.
It combined everything that was separate
and sloppy into one account.
No more forgetting your password,
multiple identities, identity theft.
You use your real name,
which is tied to your credit card.
I think Grandma's falling asleep.
[scoffs]
Okay.
Before True You, it was like
you needed a different vehicle
for every single one of your errands,
and no one should have to own
87 different cars.
It doesn't make sense.
It's the chaos of the Web
made elegant and simple.
Speed round. Paul or John?
Early Paul, late John.
- Mario or Sonic?
- Early Sonic, late Mario.
Introspection or communication?
- Uh...
- Mae.
- Sorry, I'm thinking about it.
- So that's introspection.
- Sushi or Soylent?
- Sushi.
Ever owned a Velcro wallet?
- Yes.
- Velcro shoes?
- Yes.
- Velcro... pants?
Yes.
What was the name of the receptionist
who checked you in this morning?
Um...
- Linda.
- Joan Baez or Joan Crawford?
- Joan Didion.
- "Gif" or "jif"?
[chuckles] I'm not answering that.
There's too much at stake.
Would you like to go out with me?
That's very inappropriate.
Good. Quality or convenience?
Not mutually exclusive.
Needs of the society
or needs of the individual?
- Should be the same.
- You're most scared of?
Unfulfilled potential.
[indistinct chattering]
All right, heliport, gym, daycare,
- organic farm, ptanque.
- Ptanque?
- Oh, it's like bocce but French. [giggles]
- Oh.
Tetherball, lap pool, social pool, doga.
- [dog barking]
- [indistinct chattering]
Kennel, nightclub, salon, maker space,
rock climbing, trampoline,
clinic, volleyball.
Was that...? Was that the...?
Content people, news,
arts, film, engineers,
management and me, advertising and you.
All right, let's go.
[Mae] Your legs are so long.
[shouts] What?
[giggles] It's all on sensors.
The elevator reads your ID
and says "hello."
We do that for visitors mostly.
They're usually impressed.
Annie, that's the worst picture
of me ever.
Oh, come on... Oh. Oh, dear.
- [Annie] Danny!
- [Danny] What's up?
You remember Dan? I'm handing you off.
- You're all grown-up.
- [Mae] Oh.
[Danny] I have the privilege and the honor
to give you your brand new tablet, Mae.
And I sent the password to your phone.
- Oh, my God. It has my name on it.
- Uh-huh.
Oh, this is too sad.
You take care of my little girl.
- I will.
- [sniffs]
[man] If we don't give customers
a human and humane experience,
we have no customers,
it's pretty elemental.
Jared will be doing your training.
I oversee the team,
and Jared oversees the unit.
As you know, you'll be doing
straight-up customer maintenance
for the smaller advertisers.
You work on your portable here.
They send a message
to customer experience,
and it gets routed over to one of you.
Random at first, but once
you start working with a customer,
they'll continue to be routed over to you
for the sake of continuity.
Um, you get the query,
figure out the answer,
you write them back,
and that is the core of it.
Simple enough in theory. So far so good?
- [chuckles] Uh, yeah.
- Cool.
So let's say you've answered
a client's question,
and they seem satisfied.
Now, it's not just that you get a smile
or a frown, though that is part of it.
You get your smile...
it's almost always a smile.
Um, that is when you send the survey.
The survey is a set of quick questions
about, you know, your overall service,
how you did,
and they send that immediately back,
and you get to see how you did right here.
That is the rating. Uh, you know what?
Let's just do a live one.
- Excuse me.
- Sorry.
- Okay.
- [types]
- Have a nice day.
- [beeps]
[taps]
- [humming]
- [beeps]
That's pretty good, 99 is good,
but I can't help wondering
why it wasn't 100. Let's look.
[beeps]
Okay.
[types]
Boom. Sometimes you just encounter someone
who isn't really sensitive to the metrics.
So it's important to ask them
and make sure you get that clarity.
And we're back to a perfect score, yeah.
- Oh, wow.
- [both chuckling]
All right, are you ready to do this
on your own?
- [chuckles] Yes.
- Awesome.
[typing]
[beeps]
[Annie] Excuse me. I'm terribly sorry.
Hey, how's it going?
- I thought you were in Amsterdam.
- Oh, just for a day.
Then London, then New York, now here.
- Have you slept?
- A few hours on the plane.
A couple pills, I'm good.
So you? First week.
- [groans]
- What?
You got an 87 average.
- That's like a solid B.
- How long till I'm fired?
Listen, when I first started,
it took me a few weeks
to really get the hang of it.
Believe me, okay?
Believe me, you're doing fine.
You're good, all right?
Mm-hm.
Hello, I'm Eamon Bailey.
[audience cheering]
[chuckles] Hey.
[applause continues]
Thank you, thank you.
So glad to see you all here.
Now a bunch of you are new
to the company since I last spoke,
so can the guppies all stand up?
- [Annie] Right, that's you.
- [Eamon] Come on, guppies, just stand up.
- Whoo!
- Guppies, stand up, come on.
Congratulations, nice to have you.
Now "guppies" is just an affectionate term
for you baby fishies.
Soon you will all grow
to become powerful...
- [laughs] You're adorable.
- I hate you.
...the fish that guppies grow up
into being...
- What do they grow up into?
- [laughter]
Anyway, all right, this is Dream Friday,
the latest in our long tradition
of presenting our newest innovations.
The first Dream Friday
featured Ty Lafitte,
the inventor of True You
and our founding father.
And usually, we feature one
of our engineers or our visionaries
but today unfortunately,
it's just me and for that,
- I apologize in advance.
- [laughter]
- [Annie chuckles]
- [man] We love you, Eamon!
Thanks, Mom.
[laughter]
Now you might not have seen me
around campus
for the last few days,
and maybe you were wondering
just where the heck I've been.
[woman] Surfing!
- [laughter]
- Argh!
- [giggles]
- You got me! Yes, I've been surfing.
And that's part
of what I'm here to talk about.
I love to surf and in the past,
I would have to wake up
and call the local surf shop
to ask about the local breaks,
and pretty soon,
the local surf shop
stopped answering their phone.
- [laughter]
- And then I got a cell phone,
and I could call up my buddies
who were already out
at the beach before me,
and I could ask them,
but they, too,
stopped answering their phones.
[laughter]
And then came...
the Internet.
- [audience cheering]
- Whoa. Oh!
Some geniuses set up cameras
on the beaches,
so I could log on
and get some very crude images
of the waves at Stinson Beach.
It was almost worse
than calling the surf shop.
Here's how it used to look.
[audience groaning]
Almost useless, right?
But now let's refresh that page
and show the site
with our new Circle video delivery.
- [audience murmuring]
- Now that looks pretty good, doesn't it?
Yeah, maybe I should be
out there right now.
- [audience chuckling]
- But would it surprise you to know
that this is not coming
from some big camera
but actually just one of these?
[audience gasping]
This camera needs no wires.
It transmits this image via satellite.
I set up that camera this morning.
I stuck it to a tree near the dunes
with no permit, nothing,
in fact, no one even knows it's there.
And actually,
I was pretty busy this morning
because here's Rodeo Beach,
Montera,
Ocean Beach,
Fort Point.
This is my front yard.
[laughter]
- And here's my backyard.
- [laughter]
Here's traffic on the 101.
Oh, did you think this was just a camera?
No, welcome
to real time analytic processing.
When you see this,
you're also getting this.
[audience murmuring]
Air quality, traffic volume,
weather patterns, biometrics,
facial recognition, saved and searchable,
all to serve you better.
My friends, we are looking
at retailing these in just a few months
for less than a pair of jeans.
- [audience murmurs]
- And I'm not talking about fancy jeans.
I'm talking about the ones
like I'm wearing.
[woman] Wow!
Now, Circlers... do you like to share?
[all] Sharing is caring!
Sharing is caring.
I thought you might say that.
- Sharing is caring?
- Sharing is caring.
I have a dozen helpers all over the world
right now carrying these cameras.
Imagine the human rights implications.
Activists no longer have
to hold up a camera.
Now it's as easy as
gluing a camera to a wall,
and actually, we've done just that.
Do you see any cameras here?
No.
We have 144 cameras in place here,
and it took us just a day to do it,
and they're virtually invisible.
They come in every color,
so camouflaging is a cinch.
This is my favorite. Whoa!
- [laughs]
- Nice catch.
Sign her up.
- [laughter]
- So now, the entire world is watching.
You know, I agree with the Hague,
with the human rights activists
all over the world.
There needs to be accountability.
Tyrants and terrorists can no longer hide.
We will see them. We will hear them.
We will hear and see everything.
If it happens, we'll know.
We're calling it... SeeChange.
[applause]
SeeChange.
[audience cheering]
Oh, we'll know the good things, too.
- [audience] Aw.
- Aw.
We will see it all.
Because knowing is good.
But knowing everything is better.
[cheers, applause]
Whoo! Yeah!
[Mae] Good thing you guys like
to keep things modest.
What's this party even for?
SeeChange. Summer solstice.
Everything. Nothing.
Come on, let's be the only ones
who know how to dance!
- [Mae] My God, is that Beck?
- [laughs]
["Dreams" playing]
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Come on out of your dreams
And wake up from your rverie
Time is here, don't go to sleep
Streets are running on the brink
[Mae] So Bailey, what's he actually like?
You're in the gang of 40.
[Annie] Yeah, but I don't get a ton
of alone time with him.
I mean, you know,
a lot of people work in the White House.
How many people really get
to know the President?
Oh, actually,
do you wanna see something?
Oh, my God. You need to see this.
Follow me.
Here we are
Here. This is it. [chuckles]
[beeps]
- Nice knocker.
- [laughs]
[laughs] Holy shit, right?
Right? [chuckles]
I think all of these have gotta
be first editions?
Oh, but, um, you have to give me a verbal
nondisclosure agreement, okay?
- Annie.
- Seriously.
You shouldn't be here and probably
won't ever be here again, so verbal NDA.
- I promise not to disclose anything.
- Good.
This is where Bailey and Stenton
make all of their plans.
It's very serious.
I mean, this is high nerd, right?
Oh, no, you probably shouldn't play with...
- Like this?
- [laughs] You're such a dork.
Well...
- So this is where it all happens.
- To be a fly on the wall, right?
We should get back to the party.
- [cell phone buzzes]
- Well, you should at least.
[cell phone beeps]
- You're not coming back?
- I've got work.
- Annie, it's like, 11 o'clock.
- I've got Australia in a few minutes.
Ah. A-ha. Actually, a few minutes ago,
but you have fun, okay?
- Annie...
- You're gonna have so much fun.
- ["Would You Want Me" playing]
- [indistinct chatter]
- [man] You guys are gonna love this.
- [woman] Okay.
Whoops.
[indistinct chattering]
So I heard there's a party around here.
You know, if that's, like...
your kind of thing.
Yeah, maybe I'll check it out.
It's probably not as interesting
as whatever's on your phone, though.
Okay, probably not.
[indistinct chattering]
- Do you want a drink?
- I do, but they ran out like an hour ago.
I think they did too, but shh.
Are you serious? Whoa.
- You have glasses in there, too?
- It's my party trick.
- Oh.
- All right.
Thank you.
You're new here.
- You are, right?
- How can you tell that?
- I don't know, I just guessed.
- That's really embarrassing.
I'm sorry. [laughs]
What do you think?
- Of this?
- Yeah.
I'm excited.
[sniffs] Mm-hm.
- [chuckles] I'm sorry.
- Okay.
It's just everyone
that works at the Circle
is so excited to be here,
and they just want to tell everyone
about it all the time. It's, you know...
It's like, "Here, try this Kool-Aid!"
- Oh, Kool-Aid?
- "It's delicious. You'll love it."
- Oh, wow!
- I love Kool-Aid.
- [laughs]
- Don't you love Kool-Aid?
[both laughing]
After my last job
where I just tried to, like,
- calm down angry people all day...
- [cell phone buzzes]
I'm just grateful to be here.
I got to go put out a fire.
- Sounds exciting.
- Very. So, uh...
I'll leave you to it.
[laughs]
Have a drink, have a good time,
and stay excited.
You're at the Circle.
[indistinct chattering]
Did he tell me his name? I forgot it.
[sighs]
- Have a good night, guppy.
- Oh! Thanks.
[announcer over PA] Last shuttle
will be leaving in five minutes.
[laughter]
[indistinct chattering]
[chuckles]
[sighs]
["With Fun In My Life" playing on radio]
[Dad] I'm telling you Mae-Mae...
there's something about you.
- You have a glow.
- [Mae chuckles]
- [Mom] You do.
- [Mae] I do not have a glow.
- Like you're with child.
- [laughs]
Ignore him.
So it's been great?
I don't think I ever wanna work
anywhere else.
[exhales]
I told, um, Carolina's mom.
I might've let your salary slip.
- Oh, Mom.
- What?
It's been fun to casually
insert it into conversation.
"My daughter works for the best company
on the planet!
- And has full dental."
- [chuckles]
Please don't. I just got lucky.
- If it wasn't for Annie...
- Annie, how is Annie?
She's good.
- Working too hard.
- What does she do exactly?
She's in the gang of 40.
Uh-huh.
She's in on all the big decisions,
deals with regulatory issues
in other countries.
That sounds important. [chuckles]
Mae, hon, why don't you get your daddy
another beer?
Sure, Dad.
Your hair.
It was a phase.
It was a cute phase.
You good?
I'm good.
You should come visit me at work sometime.
At the Circle?
I'll give that idea a smile.
- [scoffs]
- Hey... [chuckles]
They might think I was there
to clean the toilets.
Come on. They'd love you.
All those tech guys secretly wish
they knew how to use a hand saw,
make something out of wood.
That really sums me up pretty well.
- It could be worse, I guess.
- You know what I mean.
They want you to tell them
about your secret hiking spots.
So they could put them on True You
and ruin it forever?
Ooh, biting commentary.
I mean, come on,
you have to admit, like,
smiles and frowns
used to be for middle school.
Like, "Hey, you know,
do you like stickers and unicorns?"
"Yes, I love stickers and unicorns."
Smile, you know.
And now... now it's everyone.
I can't help it if you're not... social.
I am social enough.
I mean, isn't... this socializing?
I assume you've heard about that senator
that's trying to, like, break you guys up
- citing antitrust laws, right?
- Give me a break, Mercer.
Don't you have to go
and chop some wood or something?
[scoffs]
- Thanks, hon.
- Sure, Dad.
His business is doing well.
Mercer? The antler chandeliers?
They are beautiful, Mae.
He's making one for us.
Did I tell you I'm up to an 87 so far?
They say that's pretty good for a guppy.
- [chuckles]
- Who's a guppy?
[Mom] Well, that's great, Mae.
- Honey?
- [Mom] Hm?
Oh. Come on,
we'll go in the house, come on.
Dad? Don't worry.
- What happened?
- Please, Mae, let your mother.
Honey, just, just...
Just tell everybody
that Dad's not feeling well,
and they'll understand, really.
It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.
- [grunts]
- [Mom] It's okay.
Dad.
Please, Mae.
- [exhales]
- We got it.
[Mom] It's okay.
- Come on.
- [Dad sighs]
[birds squawking]
[sighs]
[sobs]
[Mae] Thanks.
[woman] See you soon, Mae.
Bye.
[indistinct chattering]
[indistinct chatter continues]
[woman] Today, I call upon
the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee
to investigate the Circle.
We cannot rely on them to say,
"We're not violating antitrust laws."
I'm sure the Circle
will be glad to cooperate.
We have every confidence
that Senator Williamson's allegations
will be discredited.
You are probably wondering
about your new screen.
- [chuckles]
- Hi, I'm Gina.
- I'm Matt.
- Hi.
Dan said this would be a good moment
to set up all your socials.
- Do you have time?
- Sure.
[Matt] Great.
I take it last week you were too busy
to set up your company social account,
and I don't think
you've imported your old profile.
Sorry, I've just been
kind of overwhelmed so far.
- Oh.
- No, in a good way.
I just haven't had time yet
for extracurricular stuff.
Wow.
That's so interesting you put it that way.
We actually see your profile
and the activity on it
as integral to your participation here.
This is how your coworkers,
even the ones on the other side of campus,
know who you are.
Communication certainly
isn't extracurricular, right?
Right. Of course.
We consider you a full knowable person
of unlimited potential
and a crucial member of the community.
But you're such an enigma.
I am?
It's been years since someone
so shrouded in mystery started here.
- Everyone really likes you.
- Your work's been exemplary.
Strong ratings for your first week.
Are you satisfied with your performance?
Uh, I think I can do better.
Good, but it's not all about work, okay?
- It's all also about community.
- Of course.
It's all connected.
But you've had a blip or two when it comes
to meshing with the community,
like your absence at several weekend
or evening events.
Which are, of course, optional.
- I'm sorry?
- [Gina] Let's start with this weekend.
You left campus at 11:42 p.m. on Friday
and got back 8:46 a.m., Monday.
Was there work on the weekend?
- Oh, no, no!
- I didn't... I'm sorry.
Oh, so sweet.
There wasn't mandatory work
on the weekend.
This isn't like a clock in,
clock out type place, thank God!
But, you know,
there were thousands of people here
participating in a hundred
different activities.
So many.
I'm sorry, I, um...
My dad had an... an episode,
and I was home helping out with that.
I'm so sorry to hear that.
Is that related to his MS?
Uh... yeah.
We didn't know anything
about this incident.
Did you reach out to any Circlers
during this crisis?
- Annie? Anybody?
- Uh, no. I... No.
Mae, there are four groups here
for staffers dealing with MS,
two of them for children of MS patients.
Have you sought out a group?
- I didn't know.
- Okay.
Can you... talk about what you did
the rest of the weekend?
Nothing, really. I just... I kayaked.
You kayaked? With who?
Nobody. Just on my own.
I kayak.
We could have kayaked together.
Nothing on your profile about kayaking,
no smiles, no ratings, no posts.
I'm no psychologist, but this behavior
sometimes stems from low self-worth.
This is what participation is all about,
bringing you, lifting you up.
Thus, your participation window.
I can't believe you've been here this long
without being on the main social feed.
You're about to have your world rocked.
See, these are all
of last week's messages.
That's why there's so many.
- [stammers] Eight thousand?
- Mm-hm.
Looks like you have a lot
of catching up to do here. A feast!
- [chuckles]
- Have fun.
Oh, forgot one more thing.
This is your participation rank.
Party rank for short.
Some people here call it the
popularity rank, but it's not really that.
It's just an algorithm-generated number
that takes into account
all your activity in the inner circle.
That makes sense?
- I think so.
- Okay. And again, it's just for fun.
- It's just for fun!
- Okay, bye.
[laughs]
[man] Um, I think
it's for Tuesday next week?
[woman] Is that in Building 74 or...?
- [man] Uh, no. It's actually off campus.
- [woman] Okay.
[types]
[Mom] It's been a month.
When are you coming home?
We miss you.
I can't. You know.
How's the dorm?
Do you have to clean your own room?
- We have people that do that.
- Ooh, thank God.
How's Dad?
He's okay. He... he fell yesterday.
And I couldn't lift him up,
but thank God Mercer came by.
He's stronger than I thought.
I'm sorry.
I should have been there.
Is that one of his?
- Yeah. I think it's his best work.
- It's awesome.
[camera clicks]
I gotta go, Mom. I love you.
- Okay, well, bye. Bye.
- Bye.
[types]
I'm so sorry about last week.
I've been up my own ass.
[chuckles] And I didn't mean
to be a shitty friend.
It's okay. Where are we going?
Listen, I've been looking
into your parents' situation,
and I think... I have an idea.
All right? Yeah?
- Hi.
- [woman] Hi.
- This is Jessica. This is Mae.
- Hello, Mae, how are you?
I understand you haven't done
your medical intake yet.
- No.
- Can you drink this for me?
All of it, if you can.
- I told you about Mae's dad's...
- [Jessica] Mm-hm, multiple sclerosis.
I did my post doc on MS.
Love to get some real time data.
Here you go.
Okay.
- How does this feel?
- Warm.
- Is this for free?
- [laughs]
Of course. You get to keep it.
So, it's going to feel warm
for a few days,
then you and the media band
will get used to each other,
but it has to touch the skin to work.
Waterproof. No need to take it off.
Let's activate it, shall we?
Is that the...?
Well, it's syncing up with the sensor
you ingested a second ago.
- And now...
- [computer beeps]
- Let's have you walk around the room.
- [system beeping]
Briskly.
It'll collect data on your heart rate,
blood pressure, cholesterol,
sleep duration, sleep quality,
digestive efficiency, on and on.
And all that data is stored
in the Cloud and in your tablet,
anywhere you want, and of course, it's all
collated with the rest of the Circle.
You'd be amazed at the patterns we see
and the problems we can avoid
when we have all that data.
Speaking of which, I was thinking
it would make sense for...
[clears throat] Mae's folks to come
on the Circle health plan.
Uh, wait, what?
[Jessica] Wouldn't be the first time,
and I'd really like to get
real time data from your dad.
- [pats chair]
- Sit back down.
Can you get in touch with HR,
- clear it with them?
- [Annie] Yep.
- Tell them I say it's a go.
- Absolutely.
We'll send someone out
to set them up, okay?
[Mom] Honey, this is gonna
save our lives.
- Thank you. And thank Annie too.
- [chuckles] They thank you.
- Aw.
- [laughs]
This is amazing. Call you later, okay?
Okay. I gotta go.
Big event here on campus.
- Exciting.
- I know.
- I love you.
- I love you, too.
- Bye, Mom!
- [laughs] Bye.
- [sobs] Thank you.
- Oh. You're welcome.
All right. You okay?
- [both laughing]
- Okay. Come on.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Tom] Openness is something
we advocate here at the Circle.
We live it.
We demonstrate our commitment
to openness every day.
Our government, not so much.
We expect openness,
and we get obfuscation.
We get doublespeak.
No wonder Congress' approval rating
is currently at 11 percent.
[crowd murmuring]
Now, I'm sure a lot of you
have heard about a certain senator
who it was revealed has been involved
in some... very unsavory business.
What are we to learn from this?
We need accountability.
We need openness.
We need to know
what the people who represent us
are doing with their time on our dime.
[crowd applauding]
To serve us better.
Well, I'm happy to report
that there's a woman
who is taking all of this very seriously
and is taking some pretty dramatic steps
to address the problem.
So please join me in welcoming
Olivia Santos,
Congresswoman for District 14.
[crowd applauding]
[Santos] That's right, Tom.
I am as concerned as you are
about the need for citizens to know
what their elected leaders are doing.
So I intend to show exactly
how democracy can and should be.
Starting today, my every meeting,
my every phone call
and e-mail will be accessible
to my constituents and to the world.
- In real time!
- [crowd cheering]
It will all be on my True You page.
That's right. Thank you, thank you.
[Tom] Goodbye, backroom deals.
Goodbye, shady lobbyists.
Hello, democracy. Open and accountable!
[Santos] That's right. That's a fact!
- [woman] Where do you work?
- [Mae] I work in customer experience.
I started in CE, too. A lot of us did.
Cool. Where do you work now?
Biometrics, iris scanning,
facial recognition.
Right now, I'm working on Child Track.
The program protects children
from predators.
The second a kid isn't where
they're supposed to be, an alert goes off
and the kid can be tracked down
within 90 seconds.
- Wow. Do they wear a bracelet or...?
- We place chips in the bone.
[laughs]
Uh, you're...
You're serious?
I'm serious about immediately reducing
kidnapping, rape, and murder
by 99 percent.
I think I'm going to get a drink.
- But...
- Oh.
- It was nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
["Assiyo Bellema" playing]
- Hey.
- Hey, check your e-mail
- 'cause I sent you an invite.
- Awesome. Thank you. All right.
- Yeah, good to see you.
- You too.
- Hi, Mae! How's it going?
- Hey.
- You having fun?
- Yeah, you?
[chuckles] Yeah.
["18th" playing]
- Hey.
- Hey.
So, what did you think
about the whole presentation?
- The Santos thing?
- Yeah.
It's exciting. It's a...
- Momentous moment in the history of...
- Okay, what did you really think?
[sighs]
I thought it was a bit much.
- Just a little bit.
- [both chuckling]
So where does all the data go?
Is it stored somewhere? In the Cloud?
There's a physical place, too.
Do you wanna see something?
[scanner beeps]
[beeps]
So you're gonna have to leave
your stuff outside before you go in.
Just because you're not
supposed to... you know.
So I'm just going to have to take... this.
And this.
[door lock clicking]
[Mae sighs]
I want to thank you already for this.
I love following strangers
down dark corridors.
- This is the best.
- Almost there.
[scanner beeps]
This holds Congresswoman Santos,
every second of her from now on.
And this will be the next one.
- Just these?
- Oh, no. There's more.
What is this?
Well, it was supposed to be a part
of a subway but they abandoned it.
- Where does it go?
- It connects to the bay.
But I've traveled about a half a mile
into it, gets too wet.
[water dripping]
And that's where the rest of it will be.
- The rest of what?
- The rest of it all.
Santos is just the start.
The plan is everything recorded,
seen, broadcast,
all of it stored, analyzed,
available to the Circle in any way.
You did your health intake, right?
- Yeah.
- See, right? Look.
Every step, every breath,
all of it stored.
They can use it however they see fit.
We're being studied.
Everyone's data in the Circle
is being studied, monetized.
It is voluntary.
And isn't that the whole point?
Having everything in one place?
I mean, that's True You.
That's not why I invented True You.
Not even close.
Ty Lafitte invented True You.
Yeah.
I'm Ty.
No, you're not.
Ty Lafitte has been off the grid
for years.
- Oh, my God.
- [Ty sighs]
I'm Ty.
Why the low profile?
I just wanted to move through
this world like a normal person.
I didn't wanna be watched every second.
But I do spend a lot of time here.
It's easier. I don't have to deal
with Stenton and Bailey.
Not that I'm privy to their conversations
in their little sanctum.
Holy shit. I'm in a cave with Ty Lafitte.
Wait, hold on. So when we met,
you didn't know who I was?
You never told me your name.
And after a while,
it was just weird to ask.
[chuckles]
I knew I could trust you when I met you.
I don't know, I just thought to myself,
this girl, she doesn't have
a cynical bone in her body.
Reminds me of how I used to be.
Listen, you can't tell anyone
that you were here.
Okay? That I brought you here.
Okay.
Things at the Circle,
they need to change.
Like what? Connecting the world?
Insuring my parents?
You should be really proud
of what you created.
Look, proud? Proud of what?
The disregard for privacy,
the use of personal data
for the accumulation of wealth
and control?
I'm not proud.
This is not what I created.
Do you think Senator Williamson
being investigated
by the FBI is just a coincidence?
We can't be seen together,
and you have to promise me.
You can't tell anyone
that we were down here.
[cell phone buzzes]
Hello?
[woman] Mae, you have a visitor here
to see you.
In the lobby?
[indistinct chattering]
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Are you okay?
- No, I'm really not okay.
Why didn't you call, send a text?
Because I wanted to see you in person.
I wanted to look you in the eyes.
Okay.
- Um, I'll sign you in.
- No, just wait, I...
- The stuff you posted about my work.
- Your chandeliers?
Yeah. [stammers]
I know you meant well, but...
What's the problem?
I thought I saw good stuff going up.
They started calling me a deer killer.
And then there's a campaign
to shut me down.
I wasn't even online. I was working.
And when I checked my e-mail,
there were death threats.
I'm sorry.
Death threats, Mae.
Obviously, I never meant
for this to happen.
But I... I can fix it.
[Mercer scoffs]
Mae.
Mae.
Will you listen to me?
I can't do this.
I can't be a part of this world
that you're creating.
What are you talking about?
Jesus Christ, look at these people!
Does this really seem okay to you?
Why don't you go
kill some more deer, Mercer?
I never killed any deer.
I don't kill deer.
Mercer, look, let's not do this here.
Let's go upstairs.
- I'll figure it out.
- Do you ever leave this place, Mae?
We used to go on adventures
and have fun and see things,
and you were brave and excited.
And now it's all filtered through this.
Bye.
[sirens wailing]
[sighs]
[dog barking]
[Mae pants]
- [ship horn blaring]
- [Mae shrieks]
[screaming]
[grunts]
[sobs]
[helicopter propeller whirring]
I can't believe I was so stupid.
I'm so lucky that you guys
were around here.
Luck? Hell.
SeeChange cameras saved your life.
A cop saw you go through the fence,
and then we got a call
from someone watching the seals.
[Eamon] So, Mae, how do you feel?
[glass clinks]
[Mae] Ashamed.
I... I barely slept.
Well, I'm just glad you're safe.
We all are.
And everyone
who watched your adventure online.
I hope your folks weren't too worried.
They're doing okay.
I understand
your father's condition has improved.
Very much.
Mr. Bailey...
I want to say how much
I value my position here...
and what you've done for my family.
Mae, you're a valued part of the Circle,
and you're family.
And we care about
everybody you care about.
You know, this incident
has actually shown a lot of people
the necessity for SeeChange.
I'm so glad those cameras were there.
I wish you would've known
there was a camera there
before you swiped that kayak,
but... [chuckles]
Mae, Tom and I want to talk you
about an idea, but before we do,
is there anything you want to tell us?
That I've been here before?
It's only our lies that get us in trouble,
the things we hide.
Of course I know you've
been in here before.
[laughter]
And now that I know your secret,
do you feel better or worse?
Better.
Relieved, actually.
I am a believer
in the perfectibility of human beings.
When we are our best selves,
the possibilities are endless.
There isn't a problem
that we cannot solve.
We can cure any disease
and we can end hunger, and...
Without secrets, without the hoarding
of knowledge and information,
we can finally realize our potential.
[audience cheering, applauding]
[Eamon] This is a special Dream Friday.
I thought I'd change it up a bit today
and not have a speech but an interview.
I had a conversation
with a young Circler the other day
that I wanted to share with you.
I've asked Mae Holland,
who some of you might know
as one of our new guppies in customer
experience, to join me today.
Mae's only been with us for a few months
but she has made quite an impression.
Let's bring her out. Mae Holland!
[crowd applauding]
[Eamon] Well, hi, Mae, how are you?
- Terrified.
- Mm.
- Don't be nervous.
- [laughter]
- Easy for you to say.
- [laughter]
All right, Mae, we have all seen
the SeeChange footage
from the other night,
but please describe
what happened for us.
I committed a crime.
I borrowed a kayak
without the owner's knowledge,
paddled out to the middle of the bay,
and I wasn't wearing a life jacket.
Well, I'm not sure
that's exactly a capital offense,
but you did risk your own life.
So, Mae, do you think
you behave better or worse
- when you are being watched?
- Better.
Without a doubt.
And what happens when you're alone
and unobserved?
Well, for starters, I steal kayaks.
[laughter]
Jesus. She's a natural.
Seriously. I do things I don't wanna do.
I lie.
When we spoke the other day,
you had a way of putting it
that I thought
was very interesting and succinct.
Could you tell us all what you said?
I said that secrets are lies.
Secrets are lies.
Go on.
Secrets are what make crimes possible.
We behave worse
when we're not accountable.
I was my worst self
because I didn't think
anyone was watching.
I thought...
that I was alone.
So, what did you see
on this kayaking trip, Mae?
- Was it beautiful?
- [Mae] It was.
There was almost a full moon.
And it felt like...
it felt like I was paddling
through liquid silver.
Hmm, sounds incredible.
But there's no record of any of it.
- Not outside my own memory.
- Hmm.
[crowd murmuring]
Okay.
So now here we get
into something personal.
As you know, I have a son, Gunner,
who was born with cerebral palsy.
And though he's living a very full life
and we're always trying
to improve his opportunities,
he is confined to a wheelchair.
He can't walk.
He can't run.
He can't go kayaking.
So, what does he do if he wants
to experience something like that?
Well, he watches video.
He looks at pictures.
And much of his experiences of the world
come through the experience of others.
When he experiences the view
of a Circler climbing Mount Kenya,
he feels like he's climbed Mount Kenya.
When he sees firsthand video
from an America's Cup crew member,
he feels in some way that he's sailed
in the America's Cup too.
And these experiences
were facilitated by generous humans
who shared what they saw with the world,
my son included,
and there are many others out there
that are just like Gunner.
Now does it feel right
to have deprived them
of seeing what you saw, Mae?
It doesn't.
It feels very wrong.
It was selfish.
When you deprive others of experiences
like the ones I had,
you're essentially stealing from them.
Knowledge is a basic human right.
Access to all possible human experience
is a basic human right.
[audience cheering, applauding]
Thank you, Mae, for your candor
and your consummate humanity.
Now... now the best part.
In the interest of sharing
everything she can with the world,
Mae has, uh... Mae has some news.
From now on...
I'll be wearing a modified
SeeChange camera at all times.
I'm going fully transparent.
[audience cheering, applauding]
Well, maybe not in the bathroom.
[laughter]
I'll be starting immediately.
[Eamon] That's right.
Mae will be the first Circler
to share every single second
of her work
and her personal life with the public,
so let's give her an even bigger hand!
[applause continues]
I'm proud of you.
[all chant] Mae! Mae! Mae! Mae!
Mae! Mae! Mae! Mae!
[alarm clock ringing]
- [camera clicks]
- [operator] Hello.
Good morning, everyone.
The sun is shining,
and I definitely need my coffee.
We are in my third week of transparency,
and we're up to...
2,308,007 viewers.
Wow.
Did I tell you guys
I'm not a morning person?
Okay, among all of those viewers...
are...
- [Mom] I don't even know what...
- Hi, Mom, hi, Dad.
- Hi!
- Hi, Mae.
Say hello to everyone.
- [both] Hello, Circle.
- [Mae laughs]
Look. We match.
- Yeah.
- We sure do.
- These are great.
- Very stylish.
I love you guys. I'll see you later.
- Love you. Bye.
- Love you too, sweetheart.
- Hello, Circlers.
- [all] Hi, Mae.
So this is where I worked
when I first arrived at the Circle,
and this is where I still work
at the Circle. [chuckles]
Because even though I have you guys
looking over my shoulder...
[sighs] I'm still basically a guppy.
- [laughs] Go! Do it!
- Do it! Do it! Do it!
- [growls]
- Oh, my God! [laughs]
[man] What are you doing?
Tell your own stories, sheep.
Stop looking at us, sheep!
All right, that's our scene.
- [crowd applauding, cheering]
- Whoo!
Sorry about that. Okay, so, next up,
we just need the name of a person
who is historically significant.
- Mae Holland! [laughs]
- Oh, my God!
Sorry, we don't know who that is.
- She's nobody, trust me.
- [laughter]
Home sweet home.
Speaking of which,
let's check in with the folks.
Hey, where are you guys?
- [moans]
- Yeah.
- Yeah. There you go.
- Whoa! Ah!
Um... [breathing heavily]
Uh, I hope the engineers are watching,
because that definitely
shouldn't have happened [chuckles]
and, um, it definitely
won't happen again. [laughs]
- You can trust me there.
- [Mae's dad moaning]
[laughs]
This is me brushing my teeth.
If you're enjoying this,
I'm worried about you.
[watch beeps]
[exhales]
Good night, everyone.
I'm not gonna lie, it was a crazy day,
but I'm happy I had you with me,
each and every one of you.
[Mae] Never a boring day here.
A lot of you guys have been asking me
about this sculpture,
which is a treat for me.
I finally get to use
my art history degree.
This was made by an artist
who has frequently been in trouble
in his own country.
I wanna thank all the watchers
who sent frowns to the government there,
both for their persecution of the artist
and for their restriction
on Internet freedoms.
We have sent 180 million frowns
from the U.S. alone.
You can bet that's gonna have
an effect on the regime.
Annie.
[indistinct chattering]
[Mae] Annie.
Annie!
Annie!
Annie!
Annie Allerton! [pants]
Are we alone?
I have three minutes to use the bathroom
without the video on.
[scoffs] Pervs.
How are you? [chuckles]
- Good.
- Well...
you should be good.
You're killing it.
Do you think?
Oh, come on,
false modesty won't work here.
You should be psyched.
Yeah.
- I am.
- You're a meteor. It's insane.
People are coming to me
trying to get to you. [chuckles]
It's... crazy.
How are you really, Annie?
You look wiped.
Thanks, Mae.
You know how much I like to be told
right after I appear
in front of your millions
that I look terrible.
Thank you, you're sweet.
Let me take you for dinner.
[sighs] You gotta eat sometime.
Your camera and me looking so terrible.
That sounds fantastic, but, no.
I just... [stutters]
I'm worried about you.
- You're working too hard.
- You're worried about me?
You're... I'm worried about the EU,
but it's good to know
you're worried about me.
- I didn't mean it that way.
- Don't worry in any way.
- I know you can handle it.
- Oh, thank you, Mae.
Your confidence in me
will be the wind beneath my wings.
How are your parents?
Sorry.
[exhales]
They're over that little... episode?
I haven't heard from them, actually.
[sniffs]
I guess it'll just take some time.
Sorry, Mae. Shit.
I'm fried.
And I have to pull another all-nighter.
Stenton is on my ass all the time.
I shouldn't have questioned him
about that whole Senator Williamson thing.
And then...
there's all the new work on Completion.
But I assume Bailey told you about that.
Of course.
[Annie] Of course.
I'll be there
at the Concept Kingdom meeting tomorrow.
What?
- There's a Concept Kingdom...
- I know what it is. But you're going?
- Yeah. Bailey said I should be there.
- And broadcast it?
- Is that a problem?
- No.
I'm just surprised, that's all.
Those meetings are sensitive.
You know, maybe he's planning on
having you attend just the beginning.
[chuckles] I mean, Mae,
you're in over your head.
[Mae] Are you leaving?
Yeah. [clears throat]
I'm really so far behind on everything,
I could just die.
Annie?
- [camera chimes]
- [operator] Hello.
See ya.
[Eamon] So here's how many people voted
in the last national election.
Here's how many were eligible to vote.
And here is how many Americans
are registered in the Circle.
- [laughter]
- And there's that guy.
So now we get down to the meat
of today's session,
something we've discussed
with Congresswoman Santos and others.
What if... your Circle profile
automatically registered you to vote?
With True You,
in order to set up a profile,
you have to be a real person
with a real address,
the complete personal info,
real social security number,
with all the information
that the government wants
when you register to vote.
So why wouldn't the state
consider you already registered
when you open a Circle account?
There's no reason.
Uh, we've got verbal commitments
from governors of almost every state,
and they've agreed to push for legislation
that would make your Circle account
an automatic path to voter registration.
[man] Bravo.
I think it's a great idea.
Well, yes, Mae.
Why couldn't we take it one step further?
I mean, I...
I don't have it
completely figured out yet...
No, no, no, go on, go on, go on.
You started really well there.
I like those words, "one step further."
It's how the company was built.
Okay. Working backwards from your goal...
Go on.
We all agree 100 percent participation
is what we'd like.
A hundred percent participation
is the ideal.
That's the idealist's ideal, yes.
And we already have 83 percent
of voting-age Americans
registered to the Circle.
Yep.
And it seems we're on our way
to users being able to register it
and maybe actually vote
through their Circle account.
Well, that's a small leap, but... Yes.
Okay, go on.
Why not require every voting-age citizen
to have a Circle account?
- [all murmuring]
- Let her finish. Let her finish.
Okay, I know the initial reaction
will be resistance.
I mean, how can we require anyone
to use our services?
But there are all kinds of things
that are mandatory
for citizens of this country.
Yep. We have to pay taxes
we don't wanna pay.
And we have to pay for Social Security.
- We have to serve on juries.
- Right.
And we have to pee indoors,
not on the street. [chuckles]
- We do. We do have to be pee indoors.
- She's right.
I mean, we have thousands of laws.
We require citizens
to do hundreds of things,
but we don't require them to vote?
They are already doing this
in dozens of countries.
With the technology we already have,
users will already be registered.
That means you have 241 million voters
eligible to vote.
You have 241 million voters
that have to vote.
You have the full will of the nation.
- And how exactly do we do that?
- Annie.
Well, you know,
it could be something as simple as a zing,
"Hey, Annie.
Remember to take five minutes and vote."
It's what we would do
with our own surveys. You know that.
- But, Mae, what about stragglers?
- We all pay taxes.
And what, 80 percent of us
did that online last year.
Why not stop duplicating services?
Why not just make it all part
of one unified system?
You could pay your taxes,
vote, pay your parking ticket,
all through your Circle account.
We'd save users hundreds of hours
of inconvenience.
- We'd save the government billions.
- Hundreds of billions.
We could eliminate half of it overnight.
Why wouldn't the government
just build a similar service?
Why the hell does it need us?
It would cost too much.
They don't have the expertise.
- We already have the infrastructure.
- [Eamon] You're absolutely right.
The government needs us
more than we need them.
Imagine having the full will
of the people.
Instantly.
You'd have... true democracy
for the first time in human history.
- [Annie] This is such bullshit.
- [door opens]
[door closes]
No voter suppression.
You're voting from home.
Think of the implications
for totalitarian regimes.
No more rigged elections.
The UN can demand
that they're held through the Circle.
- But only if everyone is heard.
- [murmuring]
Every human on Earth.
We can take the pulse of the nation,
everyone in the world in seconds
on any subject.
- It's the only way, right?
- Right.
[all] Yeah!
So it looks like I've got 20 minutes here.
Let's try Mom and Dad.
- [line ringing]
- [man 1] Hey, Mae, what's up?
- Hi.
- [laughter]
- Hey, where have you been?
- Mae.
I've seen your cameras aren't working.
I can send Tech out...
Yeah, we disconnected them.
- Sweetheart...
- [sighs]
We're sorry, but we,
we can't keep doing this.
It's... Well, it's more than we ever...
[Mom] You know we love you,
and we don't wanna...
- We love you. We love you.
- We have to have our privacy.
And we're worried you don't realize
what you've gotten yourself into.
I'm so sorry.
I didn't mean to hurt you.
- [Dad] It's not you. It's us.
- No, we know that.
- Yeah, it's us.
- We just need you to understand that.
[sighs]
- I love you.
- We love you too.
Bye, honey.
[sniffles]
- [man] You're the one, Mae!
- [woman] You're changing the world, Mae!
[sighs]
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[man hooting]
- Hello, everyone. I'm Mae Holland.
- [crowd cheering, applauding]
[laughs] Okay.
We've had some good weeks
thinking about Completion,
envisioning a day when everyone
is in the Circle,
when all of humanity
is connected and united.
And it will happen.
Already, 22 nations have agreed
in principle
to operate their elections
through the Circle
with mandatory participation
from all of its citizens.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
And when everyone is united,
everyone is known, heard, accountable,
they can be better served.
But what about the people
who aren't part of the Circle,
who don't want to be woven
into the fabric of society
or worse, want to tear out that fabric?
I want to introduce Soul Search.
And we're putting it to the test
in front of the entire Circle audience,
here and globally.
Do you feel ready?
- [woman] Hell, yeah!
- [all cheering]
[Tom] You went well so far.
Great.
In seconds, the computer will select,
at random, a fugitive from justice,
a proven menace to our global community.
Our assertion is that
whoever he or she is,
Soul Search will locate them
in under 20 minutes.
- [woman] Wow.
- [crowd applauding]
Let's select that fugitive.
Okay.
This is Fiona Highbridge,
44 years old born in Manchester, England.
She was convicted
of triple murder in 2004.
She locked her three children
in the closet
and went on holiday to Spain.
[crowd murmuring]
They all starved.
She was sent to prison in England
but escaped
with the help of a guard
who she apparently seduced.
Over a billion people are watching.
Let's see how many are in the UK.
Do you all think 14 million Brits
and a billion global
participants worldwide
can find Fiona Highbridge
in under 20 minutes?
- [crowd cheering]
- [woman] Yeah!
[man] Yeah!
All right.
Let's bring up the clock.
Good.
- Is everyone ready?
- [crowd cheering]
On your mark...
get set...
go!
[crowd continuously cheering]
[laughter]
Okay, time to get serious.
[woman] I've got her, Mae.
[crowd applauding]
That's her.
Be careful.
I will.
- [crowd cheering]
- [man] Whoa!
[man] Whoa!
[woman] Fiona! Stop!
- Follow her.
- Stop her!
Somebody stop her! She's a killer!
Stop her!
Somebody stop her!
- [woman] Go!
- [man] Grab her!
Stop her!
Somebody grab her!
- [Tom] She must be kept safe.
- Keep her safe.
- It's Fiona Highbridge!
- [Fiona] No! No! No!
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[indistinct chattering]
[man] All right. Watch it.
[Fiona] No.
[crowd cheering]
Stop the clock.
[woman] Soul Search, baby!
- I guess that's it.
- [crowd cheering and applauding]
[woman] Let's do another!
We could.
- Um...
- [Tom] Maybe not a fugitive this time.
Let's try for a regular civilian.
Okay, everyone.
We're gonna find a regular person.
It can be anyone.
A relative, a lost love.
When everyone can be found,
we can never lose a friend.
We can take a suggestion
from the audience.
- Uh... anyone?
- [woman] Find Mercer!
[laughter, hooting]
I'm pretty sure
he doesn't wanna be found. [chuckles]
- Anyone else?
- [man] Where's Mercer?
[Tom] No, Mae, this is what Soul Search
is all about as well as Completion.
Other suggestions?
- [woman] Let's try Mercer.
- [crowd] Mercer! Mercer! Mercer!
It's the whole point
of Soul Search, Mae.
No.
[crowd] Mercer! Mercer!
- Mercer! Mercer! Mercer!
- [Mae] No, no, no, no.
No, I...
[Tom] Mae, this is the right choice.
[Eamon] Wait. Hey, everybody.
- [crowd cheering and applauding]
- [Eamon] Hey.
I think it's time we reunited
Mae and Mercer, don't you?
[crowd cheering]
All right then.
And through the power of the Circle,
let's bring them
back together again, okay?
The perfect use of Soul Search.
Let's find your friend.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
Go, Mae, now.
Okay.
So our second Soul Search today
involves not a fugitive from justice,
but you might say a fugitive from, um...
a friendship.
[laughter]
This is my friend Mercer.
I haven't seen him in a while.
I'd love to see him again.
Like Fiona, though, he is someone
who is trying not to be found,
but unlike Fiona, he's not a criminal.
He's good, people.
Let's see if we can break
our previous record.
Whoo!
[breathes heavily]
- [crowd cheering]
- [man] Oh, yeah.
Unbelievable.
Can you believe that? Yes!
[man] Do you think he's in here?
- Mercer!
- [man] Mercer!
Mercer, are you in there?
Are you, like, killing deer,
making chandeliers?
[audience laughing]
[woman] Mercer, we know you're in there.
We see your truck. It's right here.
- [man] I think he's in there.
- Fine. Let's go around.
- [woman] Oh, my God, he's in there!
- [crowd laughing]
Mercer, come out. He's gotta be here.
Remember to be nice, okay?
Mercer, we know you're in there.
You found where he is. You did it.
I think we should leave.
[Tom] No, Mae, stay on this.
You've got millions of people
enjoying this.
[woman] There he is. There he is.
There he is. We just got Mercer.
I cannot believe this.
[woman] There he is! He's in the driveway!
[engine starting]
[Mercer] Leave me alone! Jesus Christ!
[crowd cheering]
[crowd continuously cheering]
[motorcycle revving]
[whispers] You're kidding me.
[crowd cheering]
Can someone please get me audio
on the camera?
Mercer.
Mercer, stop driving. It's just me.
Mercer, stop the truck.
You're surrounded by friends.
[car honking]
Can we turn the speaker up?
Mercer.
Can you hear me?
Mercer, it's me.
[whispers] You're surrounded by friends.
[crowd murmuring]
Mercer, stop.
[grunts]
[screams]
[birds chirping]
- [knocking on door]
- [door opens]
[Mom] How you doing, sweetie?
You've been in bed for three days.
Come out in the garden
with me today, okay?
I've got some new snapdragons
that need to be planted.
Okay?
Honey.
Oh, honey.
- [sniffles]
- Oh.
- Oh.
- [sobs]
[announcer over radio] The California
Department of Motor Vehicles
has proposed regulation
that self-driving cars
should be required to have
a licensed driver inside.
Is that a good principle?
[man] Yeah, I mean, I think obviously,
where technology is today
that is a good principle,
and of course, we would not suggest
putting something unsafe on the road.
That's why we have fed...
[sighs]
[line ringing]
Mae.
Where are you?
- Are we alone?
- Yes.
Are we?
Yes.
How is it daytime where you are?
Wait, you're in Scotland.
Yep, I went home. Can you see?
What happened?
What, besides almost ODing
on speed and Soylent?
Well, I found out I'm allergic to wheat.
[both chuckling]
Um... I don't know.
I guess I almost died?
Oh, come on, no, don't.
Don't make me cry.
Come on. No.
I'm not going to cry anymore.
You getting better there?
Yeah, I am.
I eat. I look out the window.
I come out here, and I think I daydream.
Hadn't done that in years.
I'm glad you called.
I didn't want to lose you, too.
I know.
Listen, Mae, I'm really,
really sorry about Mercer.
And I'm a shit friend.
I should've said something sooner.
I should've, and I'm sorry.
It's just so horrible.
Have they spoken to you about it?
Not yet.
I'm going in tomorrow.
Uh-huh. They ask for forgiveness
and never for permission.
They have to go.
They've broken a hundred laws.
They've made me suffer
a thousand regulations.
There's got to be a way to...
What? Stop people doing bad shit?
[scoffs] Yeah.
Do you need some time away here, too?
I've got an extra bed if you want it.
[chuckles]
This feels so good, just being with you.
- Even like this.
- Yeah.
Yeah. I know.
This is going to sound crazy. But...
I keep having this feeling that...
Mercer would still be here
if we hadn't lost touch.
No, come on,
what were you supposed to do?
I mean, you know, he drifted away.
It happens.
Yes, but we have this technology,
all this power.
Well, I mean, technology
didn't exactly help the situation.
What if it could?
[coffee maker clanking]
[Mom] Hey, your dad woke up at 4:00
this morning,
and your light was still on.
What were you doing in your room?
Were you on the phone?
It helped.
I have friends all over the world.
They care.
Mm.
- I spoke to Annie.
- [Mom] How is she?
Good. Better.
I realized how much I missed her.
I have to go back.
Go back where?
Not to the Circle.
The Circle didn't kill Mercer, Mom.
It was a bad tool, a bad system.
It... It can be fixed.
We're not gonna become Amish, Mom.
I... When someone dies in a plane crash,
you don't abandon planes,
you make them safer.
- Mae, at least wait a bit.
- [sighs]
I'm the only one who can do this.
I'm sorry.
I love you.
[line ringing]
- [Ty] Hello?
- [Mae] Hey, it's me.
Mae. How are you holding up?
[Mae] Better, actually.
I'm coming in to see them today.
- But I need your help.
- Sure. Name it, anything you need.
[Eamon] We were worried
when we didn't hear from you for so long.
[Tom] We were very concerned.
No contact for four days.
Your camera was off.
How are you doing?
I'm okay.
Tom and I have been talking
about how little we knew
about this young man Mercer.
He's someone we should
have been able to help.
A fund should be established
for his family.
Yeah, absolutely, that's done.
Listen, Mae, we would like
to offer you a new role
here at the Circle
with no formal obligation,
maybe a lighter schedule.
You can choose your own projects,
and you can think long-term.
- You could take pottery, if you wanted.
- [Tom laughs]
I don't know if you're aware of this,
- but one of our founders, Ty Lafitte...
- Yeah.
...was given the same opportunity,
and now he loves his freedom.
And I don't know
if this is any consolation,
but at our next Dream Friday...
[stammers] We're going to
imagine a world
in which every disturbed young man
could be kept safe.
Would you like to join us?
I'm not sure I'm ready for that. But...
thanks for the invitation.
Take your time.
[indistinct chattering]
[cell phone buzzing]
I did what you asked.
You won't believe the shit I found.
It's worse than I could've imagined.
And, and look, Mae, I'm so sorry.
I never met him, but they should build
a monument to Mercer.
- Yeah.
- I mean, this... this changes everything.
Okay, he's the martyr
who will wake everyone up, right?
I don't know what you're planning,
but if you turn that camera back on,
whatever you say about the Circle
is heard around the world,
and it changes everything.
[operator] Hello.
Hello again.
- Hi!
- Hey, Mae.
And that is how it should have been,
how it could've been,
but we didn't have the technology.
But we will.
And when we do,
when every vehicle
is known and connected,
the data we have will help us
improve traffic patterns,
keep drivers safe, and optimize
Circle services across all platforms.
Shopping. Lodging.
Attractions.
Attractions like Mae Holland.
- Mae, come on out here.
- [crowd cheering]
Come on out here. Gosh, Mae.
Oh, you're transparent again.
Look at that.
Hello, hello.
Mae Holland.
- [crowd cheering]
- [man] Welcome back, Mae!
Now, Mae is a brave person
because even amid her grieving,
she knows that she has a responsibility
to her followers,
to the whole world, really.
Thanks for saying that, Eamon.
And I couldn't agree with you more.
I know that Tom, he agrees, too.
- Right, Tom? You want to come out?
- [crowd applauding]
- Come on.
- There you are.
First, I want to thank everyone here
and around the world
for the support you've given me
since we lost Mercer.
These past days,
I've realized something about myself
and about the Circle.
It's that I don't want to be disconnected.
I don't want to have to search
for friends, family, my loved ones.
We lost track of Mercer.
But what if we never lost touch
with each other?
What if instead of searching...
we always knew?
What I am proposing is radical openness
and unbroken connection.
It would have to start here.
- [crowd applauding]
- Mm-hm.
You know the usual hypocrisy
of the digital world.
We want everything in the Cloud,
and yet our leaders...
live above it.
So I want to invite Eamon and Tom
to join me in this experiment
that they've pioneered.
I invite them to set an example
for the Circle and the world...
to go transparent.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
What do you say, guys?
Will you join me?
Wouldn't it be great to know
their every move, their every word?
From now on,
every message, meeting, phone call,
all will be public,
knowable, never erased.
In fact, Ty Lafitte has helped us
make every document
in the company's history public.
Every message, every plan including...
And this is my favorite part,
every e-mail,
from Tom and Eamon's accounts,
and their private accounts...
[crowd murmuring]
...and their secondary
confidential accounts. [chuckles]
And even their super-secret
scrambled code accounts,
that nobody, not even their assistants
or wives knew existed.
Until now.
It's all been sent to you already.
[murmuring]
We are so fucked.
I think we're entitled
to that kind of access. Don't you?
- [all] Yeah.
- [hooting]
Mae, you are a very brave woman
to do this.
There are no more secrets.
Privacy was a temporary thing.
And now it's over.
We won't live in the shadows anymore.
Hey. Good timing. [chuckles]
[cell phones beeping]
[indistinct chattering]
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm tired of hiding,
these passwords and secret knocks,
the difference between public and private.
Aren't you all?
Come to think of it,
I'm tired of standing here in the dark.
Don't worry.
Eamon will catch up. Or maybe he won't.
Either way, it's time for a change.
We're gonna remake this place.
And if we do it right,
we will set an example for everyone.
The future won't wait.
[waves splashing]
Hello.
'Tis the gift to be simple
'Tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down
Where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves
In the place just right
To bow and to bend
We shan't be
Ashamed
To turn, turn
Will be our delight
To bow and to bend
We shan't be
Ashamed
To turn, turn
Will be our delight
To bow and to bend
We shan't be
Ashamed
To turn, turn
Will be our delight
To bow and to bend
We shan't be
Ashamed
To turn, turn
Will be our delight
'Tis the gift to be simple
'Tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down
Where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves
In the place just right