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Channel 4 confirms new "big-scale" and "gripping" political factual drama, Billionaires
The new drama comes after the landmark court case about children's safety on Meta's social media platforms.
Carl Court / Getty Images
- Phoebe Kowhai Barnes
Published: Thursday, 27 August 2026 at 3:48 pm
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Channel 4 has confirmed a "gripping" timely new factual drama from the makers of Dirty Business and Partygate.
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Billionaires is a new big-scale political thriller that comes after Meta reached a settlement worth up to $18 billion to resolve a US court case related to child safety on Facebook and Instagram.
The new, three-part factual drama explores the landscape of social media as the world's biggest social media companies could face thousands of lawsuits over claims they deliberately engineered their platforms to be addictive.
Through the eyes of key protagonists, Billionaires will follow "how Big Tech and the disinformation amplified on their platforms is severing people from the truth and undermining democracies".
Based on real-world evidence and produced by Halcyons Heart Films, the new drama will tell the stories of the creators, the victims and the billionaire beneficiaries of disinformation.
Writer and Director, Joe Bullman, said: "The algorithmic corporations are corroding the mental health of our young people and taking a wrecking ball to our democracies, and there is evidence that the Tech Bros who control them have designed them to do these things.
The Instagram logo. Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto/Getty Images
"Like tobacco company execs before them, they claim that their products are not addictive and do no harm. Will Billionaires help deliver the Tech Bros their Big Tobacco moment?"
Meanwhile, Alisa Pomeroy, Head of Documentaries and Factual Entertainment at Channel 4, added: "At Channel 4, we are committed to telling stories that help audiences better understand the forces shaping the world around them."
She continued: "Billionaires is exactly that kind of project: Bold, thought-provoking and deeply relevant. By examining the extraordinary influence of some of the world’s most powerful technology companies through compelling human stories, this drama promises to spark conversation and offer insight into a subject that affects us all."
This week, Meta agreed to pay $18bn (£13.3bn) settlement to resolve claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children.
Meta has denied any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
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Authors
Phoebe Kowhai BarnesFreelance Writer
Phoebe Kowhai Barnes is a Freelance Writer who covers pop culture and entertainment programmes for the Radio Times. She previously worked as the Senior Assistant Editor at The Tab where she managed its local department. She obtained a BA (Hons) in English Literature from University of Nottingham.
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