UFCE95-20-3: Information Systems in Society Lecture 8: Theorizing surveillance Reading: –Lyon, 2002, Everyday Surveillance: Personal data and social classifications.

UFCE95-20-3: Information Systems in Society

Lecture 8: Theorizing surveillanceReading:

–Lyon, 2002, Everyday Surveillance: Personal data and social classifications

Surveillance theory

• Totalitarianism– 1984, Brave New World– 20th century fascist and communist states

• Panopticism– “all-seeing place”– Social discipline through utilitarian social contract– Evidence in growth of workplace and data surveillance

• The Surveillant Assemblage– Realized as inevitable by-product of ICT diffusion– “Rhizomic surveillance” - information trails and traces– Non-heirarchical and problematic for rulers and ruled– Evidence in ‘disappearing body’, growth of computer use and ‘function

creep’.

Panopticon • allows seeing

without being seen. • asymmetry of

seeing-without-being-seen is the very essence of power because the power to dominate in the modern world rests on the differential possession of knowledge.

The modern panopticon: Shenzhen city

Purpose built for the 2008 Olympics12.4 million people2 million CCTVsmovements are tracked through national ID cards with scannable computer chips and photos that are instantly uploaded to police databases and linked to their holder's personal data of names, photos, residency information, work history and biometric data.

Panopticon in popular culture

Big BrotherTruman showThe SimsSecond Life

The 21st century panopticon

• What you’ve done– Archived data

• What you’re doing– Real-time data and media

• What you’ll do– Profiling

Surveillant Assemblage

convergence and integration

Surveillant Assemblage

• Evidence for anything can be found in the networks

• Example:From: Jo MooreTo: Alun Evans; Mortimer, RobinDate: 11/09/01 14:55:12Subject: Media HandlingAlun

It’s now a very good day to get out anything we want to bury. Councillors expenses?Jo

CC: Corry, Dan

Surveillance and Control

• Positive effects:– improved efficiency and

effectiveness– increased insight and

overview over organisational processes

(e.g. Work-flow systems)

• Negative effects:– “information panopticon”– Surveillance of human

behaviour– resistance – Limits of freedom and

autonomy– influence on the

appropriation of IT– Unpredictable patterns of

use can emerge

Information systems make activities, events and objects, and - people- more visible

Data Surveillance

• the systematic use of personal data systems in the investigation or monitoring of the actions or communications of one or more persons.

• significantly less expensive than physical and electronic surveillance, because it can be automated.

• the economic constraints on surveillance are diminished, and more individuals, and larger populations, are therefore monitored.

• possibilities enhanced by digital convergence and integration

Data Surveillance

• Personal data surveillance

• Mass data surveillance

– both may be used for its deterrent effects.

– comprises a wide range of techniques:

• Front-End Verification.

• Computer Matching. • Profiling

Profiling

• Template created for a particular class of person from past experience

• Data-holdings are then searched for digital personae with a close fit to that set of characteristics

– used by government agencies to construct models of classes of person, eg., deviant or vunerable.

– used by corporations to identify markets and consumers, but also staff-members and job-applicants relevant to vacant positions.

Function Creep

• Definition:– Function Creep occurs when a technology, a system,

or personal data is lawfully and systematically expanded for unintended or unforeseen purposes.

• Often demonstrates Surveillant Assemblage

Function creep example: The UK national DNA Database

1. Originally focused on convictions for murder, burglary, sexual assault and GBH

2. All individuals charged, reported, cautioned or convicted of any recordable offence

3. DNA data to be stored indefinitely, regardless of acquittal or innocence

4. Short - medium term political goal of identifying all individual’s characteristics from DNA