The movie maker, Simon Verhoeven, was inspired to make this film because of a personal incident dealing with a deceased friend's social media account. Verhoeven believes that people are vulnerable on social media due to the fact that people share their whole lives through private thoughts, pictures, and dreams. Verhoeven also notes that people's' worst fears can be harnessed through the internet, making the web a dark place, and a good inspiration for horror aspects. The maker believes that the internet is not completely technical; he sees it is a social experiment and has some form of a subconscious. Verhoeven thinks the internet uncontrollable because of the millions of users inputting their data, continuously driving the force.
Interview: Storc, M. (2017, September 22). Interview with Simon Verhoeven, Director of Friend Request - In Theaters Today. Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.horrorsociety.com/2017/09/22/interview-simon-verhoeven-director-friend-request-theaters-today/