Surveillance and the Digital Panopticon

Congratulations on good course paper scores (85-92 average).
Absences or incomplete prompts lowered some section averages.
Course rewards critical thinking and connecting course material, not just regurgitating content from online chats.
Use lectures, slides, and discussions as the base for writing, proofreading, and outlining.

Common element across historical watchtowers: a single directional view (binoculars, camera).
Watchtowers represent the oldest surveillance technology.
Design Affordance: fewer guards watching more inmates. Goals are to reduce number of guards and maximize number of inmates watched.
Economic design that saves money.
Prisoners are constantly aware of guard presence, but can't see the guards (asymmetrical).
Constant surveillance leads to self-control and internalized observation, even when not watched.

Michel Foucault's idea of panopticon as a form of disciplining power.
Ideology that surveillance is necessary and good.
Acceptance of slavery as better than death or subjugation.
Prisoners internalize being watched as better than being killed outside of prison.

Society is metaphorically a large prison system with rules, regulations, and hierarchies.
Observation occurs via social media and government.
Questioning the impact on liberty, freedom, human rights, and privacy.
Voluntary contribution to digital platforms creates a digital panopticon.
Unchallenged acceptance leads to a dominant ideology or "-ism."
Most people have internalized social media as necessary.

Computers in phones, watches, etc.
Internet companies aggregating massive data (browsers, social media, emails, IP addresses).
Agencies like CIA, FBI, and NSA involved.
Terms and conditions of online tools lead users to internalize constant observation and voluntary data sharing.
Documentary "Terms and Conditions May Apply" recommended.
Trailer Quote: Google potentially a $500$ per year service in data value.
Companies possess approximately 1,500 data points on average American citizen.
Easy to find specific personal details (voting, psychological problems, etc.).
Government accessing data from Google/Facebook is easier than direct wiretapping.
Concerns about automated systems flagging based on search terms.
Surveillance used to silence protests.

Theoretical foundation for data gathering and selling.
Capitalism based on surveillance.
Tactics:
- Cookies: track browser movement
- Device tracking: GPS and calibration technologies reveal device location (next to bed, in pocket).

Data mining algorithms sort credit cards, smart home devices, and other sources.
Example: Algorithms decide credit worthiness based on data patterns.

Algorithms make decisions on credit card applications, impacting rejection or credit limit.
Job applications can be influenced by surveillance data.
Companies want more data to enhance AI capabilities for various purposes.
- Example: professor's data can be used against somebody else.
predict and contain a threat before it goes to panel

Public enterprises (universities, laboratories) contributing to the Internet.
Internet composed of 12,000 individual computer networks.
Started in 1969 as a Pentagon tool.
- Scientists can share knowledge with another scientist at lightning speed.

Google embodies surveillance capitalism, network effect, and military-industrial complex.
Expands beyond online ads (mobile, robotics, weather).
Acquisition of Motorola Mobility and use of obsolete satellites.
Facebook's acquisition of Instagram.

Close alliance between governments, military institutions, and defense contractors to manufacture and acquire weapons.
Companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing involved.
Creating digital hapticon apparatus.

U.S. presents China as a surveillance state.
U.S. uses information for geopolitical advantage against other countries like Russia.

Metadata connects all information in a digital tower or PRISM program.
Example: Metadata leads to deportation. Daughter's boyfriend's mother's visa expired.

CIA targets depressed individuals.
Accessing information without court orders via Facebook's backdoor using XT score's under $702$ authority.
FISA court orders seen as rubber stamps.

Code name for NSA and FBI program to collect private electronic data from major internet services.
Tools used for microtargeting, suspicion, and surveillence.
Occurred without user consent.

GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) can hack into personal data on smartphones (computer network exploitation or CNE).
Program code named Smurfs:
- Dreamy Smurf: Turns phone on/off.
- Nosy Smurf: Hot mic tool.
- Tracker Smurf: Geolocation tool.

Social media and surveillance tools impact privacy.
Privacy ratings (Electronic Frontier Foundation): Apple has high security, Facebook and Twitter have low security because they are vulnerable to legal requests.
If a service is free, the user is the product.
Fundamental individual right to determine what information is shared.
Privacy pragmatists trade privacy for benefits.