User reviews

Episode 1 could have been shrank into 20 minutes. So much repetition. Very poorly edited and the main protagonists narrating the episode doesn't work for me at all. Could have done with a Louie Theroux character asking the odd question to break it up a bit. 50 minutes of constant upset is a lot to take. It only got interesting in the last 2 minutes of the episode. Part two a tad better when we meet the police involved in the investigation. The whole ambience of both episodes just didn't work for me at all. Made a semi interesting story and investigation sound very tedious and dull. That's just my opinion after all.

When it comes to true crime I nearly always prefer British programs to American ones. But this one is done in the same way as the US ones.

Lots of scary music and sounds. Everything dragged out with pointless visuals. And the same visuals over and over again. They must have shown data going down telephone lines 200 times throughout this program.

The 'scary' voice just became childish over time.

The pace was needlessly slow. This could have been done in about 45 minutes, comfortably.

Skip through it. You won't miss much. The end of both episodes is where the story is mainly told.

It's a shame because the women really were made to suffer. Their complaints were totally valid and should have been acted on much sooner by the police. The gave the standard corporate BS excuses in a statement at the end. I don't anything has changed there.

Blurry re enactments of a person near or on the phone or something somewhere, screenshots of phones & texts.. that's 80 % of what we see. Make it 85.

Ridiculous producion presenting daft people offering no real insight into or solution to this wide spread problem. No interviews about current laws and how to change this issue. Just a blah copy paste statement by police at the end.

But it's important you stylize it as much as you can, right?

Idk what's happening but British docus seem to be going downhill regarding content & presentation.

It's getting ridiculous.

Don't make yourself watch or finish it... there is nothing really to gain from it.

I've read some reviews and the victim blaming is just crazy. I'm not really that prone to post about my life online but there are people who feel comfortable in doing that and they are also allowed to do that.

No one deserves to be terrorized and stalked like these women did!

I understand that police couldn't do anything at a specific point and time but taking one's fear as granted is beyond me.

The documentary could be done in one episode, that is true and the effect the stalker had in the first episode put him in some kind of spotlight that he didn't deserve.

In my option the victims need to be heard, their stories need to be shared and social media platforms need to take action against such crimes, for example through strickten regulations.

... and truly I hate to say that, and that it's in essence true but this is wholly unnecessary - it's like so what's next? We make documentaries about elderly who get phone calls about thier car warranties? This is life in today's world! This is what humanity is, isn't it? We, as a society, should have or needed to have dealt with this sooner or barring that, unfortunately, just not done the social media - which is easy for me to say cause I don't (and I don't because I know humans, they're horrible) so if u accept the perils of putting your life out there then may I offer some advice? Don't fall for solicitus messages like 'can I tell you a secret' and on a personal note re the documentarians - you guys are trash! With that gratuitous creepy voice (which wasnt a recreation of the fraudsters voice, it was a dramatic reading of the text) and all this nonsensical b-roll of the messages following the phone lines and internet cable! Suuuch a poor device and not even accurate about how it works - this is almost an all-time low and as a society we need to (I NEED TO) stop consuming thier content and furthering this decline in 'Idiocracy'

But allow me to ammend my comments by adding this very important aspect which is : I do have complete sympathy for the women that fell victim to this, I am not saying that it's thier fault that the were asking for it or that they deserved it - of course not! I was saying that it's unfortunate that this IS imo par for a human to do to another via the anonymity of the internet and that we need to expect this, SADLY, and act accordingly - it's tragic I know but until we prove that we can be better to one another then this will always continue to happen.

The lives of three young women are turned upside down, by a cyber attacker, who delights in creating fake profiles, and decimating relationships.

It's clearly a generational thing, but I do have issue with people who live their lives through social media, and there is an element of that here, some people can't even have a coffee or enjoy a concert, it's tragic.

The first thing, the production, horrible, and sadly that is the major stumbling block, it's bad, expect silly voices, multiple cutaways, and tonnes of emojis, it's unbearable.

It doesn't show The Police in a particularly good light, these young women were clearly tormented, but it doesn't seem as though any of them were taken seriously. What's worse, the realisation that stalkers barely go to jail.

When it came to the sentencing, I was a little shocked to hear that boredom can be taken into account to explain someone's crimes, whatever next.

This should have been so much better, maybe if it had been an hour long presentation it would have triumphed, less the over production.

5/10.

I can't understand the negative reviews. Yes it could have been shorter, however the feeling of being stalked for 2 years is really felt.

It makes you feel for the victims what they have endured and the frustration with police support.

It also again stresses the dangers of social media and how one can be to depending on it.

Good to hear that more support now is in place for the victims. It is good education material for the youth with the message, be open and talk to your relatives and friends so that they know what is happening. I was surprised how the victims where less believed than online messages.

Don't waste your time on this. Just like the other reviews, it really just highlights how a great story that is poorly produced and filled with pointless cutaways can leave you very disappointed and angry that You've waste two hours of your life. Did not need to be two parts, could easily have been told in 45 mins. You absolutely feel for the girls involved, however, they keep telling irrelevant things, nothing really invites you to be intrigued who was doing it. Lazy journalism and low budget production from Netflix, do yourself a favour and go watch reputable documentaries and don't waste your time of this sorry mockumentary.

This documentary attempts to explore the complex issues of online privacy and the leaking of private photos but falls remarkably short. The focus on individuals who share their experiences without a deeper reflection on the broader societal implications results in a narrative that feels both superficial and sensationalized. The inclusion of explicit content, intended to shock rather than enlighten, further detracts from the documentary's potential to contribute meaningfully to discussions on digital responsibility. Ultimately, it fails to deliver a thought-provoking or insightful examination, leaving viewers with more questions than answers about the ethics and intentions behind its production.

Social media has become quite the sport. How many followers you have is a testimony to your popularity. Really? Who made up these rules, a 13 year old teenager? Reminds me of middle schoolers discovering that 7th and 8th grade is a big step into the social media arena. You no longer go out for recess or play on the swings and merry go round. You become more focused on who is in your grade. Now you exchange your email address and begin communicating with people in your social media account's. As you become more proficient, you'll start receiving spam emails and communication from people you have no clue who they are. Welcome to social media.

I would be remiss if I didn't include good social media accomplishments. Connecting with old friends and finding lost relatives. But the typical social media user will soon be asking how do I get out of this?

In my opinion this documentary is very shallow. There was an opportunity to share the pitfalls, like stalking and identity theft, and help. Can I tell you a secret? Skip this documentary and create a list of your accounts, who to contact if there is a problem and don't give your email address to just anyone. Consider creating a 2nd email address to use for general inquiries, not linked to any of your financial or personal information. But don't hide behind your social media accounts. Don't be a slave to the notification sound. Go outside, take a walk, enjoy nice weather, visit friends.

First of all - This is a story that should be told. I just wish it was told in a different way. There were lots of unnecessary parts to this series. Firstly, It could have been done in 1 episode. The ominous voice overs. He didn't actually distort his voice at all. I just felt it was done to make him sound more creepy. The cut away scenes - these people say they've experienced a traumatic time, yet here they are reenacting scenes in their best clothes, hair and make up. I also did not hear one person say "I blocked the number".

I'm not condoning what this guy did, AT ALL. But some of these people kept engaging with him. Then, continued to use social media like it was an essential part of their life. I couldn't help think - what are you doing? BLOCK! REPORT! IGNORE! Remove yourself from social media.

A series that gives repetitive and information and dragged out way too long, whilst trying to over dramatise the situation. I would have been more engaged without the unnecessary extras trying to make it a dark and gritty documentary. 4/10.

...I'm grading this one on the curve due to the ridiculous low-rated reviews.

This wasn't an exploration of the wider implications of social media, nor is it a long at the devastating effects of stalking for victims who rarely receive and kind of justice. Nor was this a documentary about misogyny and the police handling of cases of harassment. Yet some reviewers seem to have gone in expecting any/all of the above, then have low rated the doc because they are disappointed.

This IS a very good look at the wide net of haressment and stalking that can be cast by one man. This IS a tale of strong women, fighting back. This is a story of a policeman who fought to validate these women and seek justice....and a very well told one it is.

Many reviewers have complained that the "stalker voice" is "silly", I disagree, I think if you had received these messages they would be terrifying, and the voice went a small way to illustrate that.

Totally unbearable, I couldn't watch too long. I can't understand how people think their lives are interesting for others and dedicate themselves to posting photos and explaining their private lives on social media. Incomprehensible. The more you post your private life, photos..., on the social media the more there is the risk of stalking. And perhaps even more dangerous things, like in this case.

I wouldn't watch it at all because the production is the most terrible and really really boring, the case is important, but please, if the police doesn't believe you at first, why don't you block everything on social media for the meantime? Yes, I know stalking is a crime, don't get me wrong. But If you are suffering psychologically, maybe mental health issues? Because of what this stalker is doing?, block everything and move on with your life, no one cares where you go on vacation, how your new dress look like.. who your friends are...etc

The role of social media platforms in enabling and perpetuating stalking, and the limitations of existing laws, says it all, frustrating! They are no systemic solutions for this! Therefore, stop using the internet so much and look around you, smell, feel, live, dance.....

Avoid this one!

But I found this compelling. People are living their lives as they see fit, and they randomly become the target of a stalker. I have watched a few documentaries about stalkers recently, and in all of those cases, the stalkers had some kind of personal connection with the victims, this is a frightening new version where you can be stalked by a completely random person. As someone, who briefly had an encounter with a stalker, I am full of sympathy for people who went to the police, and they were laughed at. And as for those reviews that compared being the victim of a stalker to an annoying telemarketer, may it never happen to you.

I won't go into the detail lest I ruin the plot for someone else.

From start to finish, this documentary is more like a reality show expose, not a documentary. The style is not a documentary and simply isn't well directed or produced. It should be classified as a reality show crime reproduction because the sensationalism and fake scenes distract from the story. Which the story, if it actually happened, is pretty creepy and definitely sends the message about the dangers of putting yourself all out there on social media. Anyway, again I can't say more or it'll become a spoiler review.

Suggestion that if you are expecting a documentary in proper old school documentary style, don't watch this but the story is worth reading about so just google it and you can read about it elsewhere.

I also don't like how this series makes the victims look so naive, not the best message to put out there.

45 minutes over 3 influencers crying constantly over a not-so-major crime? Yeah that is a 1/10. It had too much unnecessary editing and special effects as well. They tried to make the stalker come across as scary, but in reality the women just came across as naive and ridiculously dumb.

I also agreed with the police - they do not have enough manpower to go find every person who makes a fake account. The women need to stop making themselves feel so important.

I haven't watched beyond episode 1 but don't plan to. Might be way quicker to read a 5 min summary somewhere online. I'd instead recommend watching worst roommate ever if you want to see an actual crime.

I agree with the other reviewer who had said this documentary is very shallow. It touches on catfishing, stealing online identity and other aspects of social media that have been so much spoken about it really is rather infuriating and also surprising that grown up people should a) fall for it, b) be so shallow and naive to be posting EVERYTHING about themselves on social media and then appear surprised when they get targeted. By no means am I saying the perpetrator actions can be justified, it's just that this is a simple, basic level stuff that children should be aware of nowadays. The victims here are claiming social media helps them know who they are, which, really, gives you an insight into what to expect. It is disappointing that grown people are so unaware of realities outside of their "like" count, and the story is really not TV worthy. It's the same story you'll have seen on several TV shows, heard about on podcasts, and, unless you are a teenager, you can guess what's happening. One episode would have been sufficient.

In our digital age where cybercrime and online harassment is more prominent than ever, there is great need for documentaries like 'Can I Tell You A Secret' to help raise awareness on such issues. It is documentaries like these which can help start a movement and change public consciousness, ultimately leading to more good in the world.

The two-part doco is both paced and edited brilliantly. It kept me on my seat, but was not so 'flashy' as to over-dramatize the real events. I was also incredibly impressed by the brave women who stepped forth to be interviewed. Their recounts were haunting, yet inspiring in that their bravery may encourage other women to speak out as well.

Overall, CITYAS is a vitally important documentary that everyone who uses social media/the internet should watch.