Surveillance

Question 1

What does surveillance refer to?

Answer 1

Refers to the monitoring of the public’s behaviour to prevent or investigate crime

Question 2

What sort of forms can surveillance take?

Answer 2

Can take many forms such as:

CCTV
Tracking people’s movements (e.g. cars, phones)
Monitor online activity (e.g. social media, emails, internet searches)

Question 3

What did Foucault argue about surveillance?

Answer 3

Argued that surveillance was the most effective means of crime prevention and controls

According to Foucault surveillance was a form of disciplinary power

Question 4

What does disciplinary power refer to?

Answer 4

Controlling peoples minds, making people keep theri behaviour in check

Question 5

What is liquid survillance?

Answer 5

Where survillance ‘flows’ into all parts of our lives

We are unbothered or worried about surveillance because it has become a normal part of our lives

Question 6

What are the criticism of survillance?

Answer 6

Questionable how effective CCTV is at preventing crime - few robbers, burglars etc. are put off by CCTV

CCTV cameras may lead to displacement

Feminists argue CCTV is an extension of the male gaze - male camera operators ‘look women up and down’

A massive invasion of privacy - how far should surveillance go?