I missed the lectures for this particular topic, my bad, 9am start was asking a bit much first week back. So I'm currently sitting in the Burns computer lab, gazing around in procrastination and I spot a little laminated poster on the bulletin board that reads; This room is under video surveillance at all times. Creepy. And now I've just spotted the camera and gave it a wee smile and wave. Surveillance is everywhere, and its doesn't just come in the form of hidden cameras. Companies track our spending habits, movements and activities. A simple item such as the 'Foodtown card,' appears to be a discount card for loyal customers. This is not the case, the card is set up for Foodtown to find out the demographics such as age, location and spending patterns of their customers. David Lyon writes of surveillance as the provider of identity and eligibility. This is true, passports, drivers licenses are all apart of a surveillance system to keeps tabs of people's whereabouts and how fast they are driving...
But when it comes to technological surveillance, there are pitfalls. Information exchanged can be extracted and then traded which can then be used to later change our lives. In reading the lecture notes, one case study stuck out, should bosses be able to read staff emails? No! I understand that there are issues surrounding office hours spent on the internet, but surely there is a better way of preventing wayward internet surfers. Firewalls etc. Emails are a personal interaction, work related or otherwise.
I tried to read up on the Echelon ting but it was just a bit much. Its cold, I'm off home. Peace.
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4 comments:
I never knew that Foodtown did that! I guess that its a pretty useful concept for companies like that.
Also I never really considered that passports and drivers licenses etc are part of surveillance but of course they are.
Without surveillance international travel would be a whole lot more dangerous I'm sure! These days in America, airport surveillance is so intense that you spend hours going through airport security, they even make you take your shoes off!
I didn't know that either!
With the Uni surveillance camera, I wonder if there are people really actually paying attention to it. On the Otago Uni homepage you can watch parts of campus through a webcam - pretty boring stuff though!
I know at my work there is a sign that says: 'This area is under surveillance', and it's a lie! HaHa.
lol
ha next time i use my foodtown card i wont just be thinking about my purchases, stalkers!!i agree with boss and email. Mind you i suppose if it is under a company email address than they may have the right to read it. that is something i will have to find out...
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