Lecture 9 + Chapter 8 Flashcards
what is surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring, tracking, and gathering of data about individuals or groups, often using geospatial technologies like mobile phones, satellite imagery, and mapping systems
- used to be used for counting people, food resource, land allocation, military service
explain surveillance using historical context
early government surveillance - used to monitor populations
- Ancient Roman censuses were used to assess taxes and military conscription.
Traditional surveillance requires significant manpower and resources for data collection and analysis.
What led to the expansion of surveillance after World War II?
The growth of bureaucratic states necessitated expanded surveillance to administer social programs effectively.
The 1951 Canadian Census expanded to better manage post-war social services
What role did remote sensing play during the Cold War?
Remote sensing was used for military and intelligence purposes to monitor enemy movements and installations.
Example: The CORONA satellite program was a classified surveillance program that took thousands of photos for intelligence purposes.
How did surveillance change after September 11, 2001?
Surveillance expanded significantly, particularly in the U.S., under the pretext of national security against terrorism.
allowed for broad surveillance of phone and email communications.
How is the private sector involved in surveillance?
Large tech companies gather vast amounts of data through their platforms, which can be used for both commercial and government surveillance.
Example: Social media platforms track user activities and preferences for targeted advertising and also provide data to government agencie
what drives the increase in surveillance
advancements in tech
politics of fear
personalization of surveillance
increase in government and private interests in data
explain how technological advancements drives surveillance
Computerization: (1940s and onward)
Enhanced the ability to store and process large amounts of data efficiently
Networking: (1980s and onward) enabled data sharing across different organizations and borders - internet connectivity facilitated global communication and information exchange
Miniaturization: technology became smaller and more portable leading to widespread use of personal devices - smartphones with cameras, GPS, and internet access
explain how the politics of fear drives surveillance
Security concerns: terrorist attacks are heightened on national security - 9/11 increased surveillance a lot
Legislative responses: governments enacted laws expanding surveillance capabilities - the USA ACT allowed for expanded monitoring of communications without warrants
explain how the personalization of surveillance drives it
every day device collect personal data, usually with user consent - social media track interactions to personalize the contents
geospatial technologies: location data is routinely collected and used for various purposes - like google maps tracks user locations to provide real time traffic
what is RFID tags
radio frequency identification tags are embedded in products and IDs
Passports with RFID chips expedite customs processing but can also be scanned without the owner’s knowledge
how are smartphones used as surveillance tools
multi-functional devices: smartphones that have cameras, microphones, GPS trackers, communication devices like Alexa, Siri, google
Location-based services: apps like Yelp and Foursquare can use location data to recommend good nearby services
Data collection by apps: many apps collect more data then they need - weather apps requesting to access contacts and location
What role do satellites and drones play in surveillance?
They are used for high-resolution monitoring of geographic areas for both civilian and military purposes.
Example: Drones monitoring protest movements or environmental changes.
What are the privacy concerns of increased surveillance?
Surveillance can erode privacy rights and lead to a society where everyone’s actions are monitored
Data collected by tech companies used to track individuals without their explicit consent
how do corporations use surveillance
targetted advertising - using personal data to tailor advertisements - Facebook ads target their interests
geodemographics - classifying neighborhoods for marketing purposes
