The Thread is a documentary that exposes how the internet manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombers changed the face of journalism forever, and discusses the undeniable impact amateur internet writers are having on journalism today. Following the deadly attacks at the 2013 Boston Marathon, amateur internet sleuths took to Twitter and Reddit, intent on identifying the individuals responsible for the biggest terror attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. More than 3 million people followed the manhunt on Reddit, many of whom were convinced they were qualified to identify clues or suspects, based upon their internet investigations. Set against a backdrop of the official, week-long hunt for the terrorists on the streets of Boston, this documentary reveals the parallel, unofficial, online investigation that captured the world's imagination, but led to innocent people being accused of the crime. This thought-provoking documentary explores how the media landscape has been transformed by widespread use of social media, and questions the future of traditional journalism. The documentary features interviews with journalists and executives of global media giants, as well as social media users, to ask important questions about the media and society.
