An examination of “Online Social Networking as Participatory Surveillance” by Anders Albrechtslund
Imagine yourself as Belle, observing your loved ones in the reflection of a mirror that was given to you by an aggressive beast. You are not sure why you trust this beast; nonetheless you utilize his services to monitor the lives of whomever you please. Think of yourself as the evil queen gazing into Snow White’s magic mirror. You demand to see your desired reflection in order to gain a reputation worthy of flaunting to others.
The symbolism of mirrors is often used to portray vanity. However, mirrors can also be used in ways that allow people to observe those around them. Whether these kinds of mirrors are used in cars or interrogation rooms, they represent participatory surveillance in the physical world. Online, however, participatory surveillance describes the monitoring of one another’s cyber profiles and activities. For a generation raised on Web 2.0, this kind of surveillance is most recognizable on social networking sites and referred to as “creeping”.
On one end of the spectrum, “surveillance is associated with snooping, spying and privacy invasion, and it is a prevalent view that everything related to it should be avoided if possible” (Albrechtslund). However, on the other end, social networking defines the “social and playful aspects of surveillance” (Albrechtslund). In other words, some people believe that participatory surveillance is quite harmless and essential for being considered social. Regardless, online participatory surveillance presents a mutual relationship between users who post and users who monitor. These users are defined by their exhibitionistic and voyeuristic tendencies.
Exhibitionism
Exhibitionism can be defined as finding pleasure in being looked at. On social networking sites, people post certain photos and information to their profiles with the purpose to be seen by others and to make an impression. Once other users stop paying attention, more content must be posted to keep people interested in looking.
An online profile is like a mirror reflection of how a person would like to be seen. Since social networking sites give users a blank canvas, they can easily manipulate their own identity to become more interesting, more beautiful, more intelligent, more popular, more confident and so on. It is clear that many people wish to be under peer surveillance to be a part of a social community. I find that many people long to feel as if they are celebrities and crave the attention of online paparazzi.
Voyeurism
Voyeurism is finding pleasure in looking without being seen. In today’s technological society, this desire has never been easier to fulfill. One can simply hide behind a computer screen and revel in the content others willingly post.
Unlike peering into someone’s bedroom window, online voyeuristic surveillance is almost considered acceptable. Many people admit to “creeping” others on social networking profiles, yet this notion does not seem as worrisome as physically spying on someone.
However, I do not think that those who practice voyeurism on the Web are wholly at fault for invading privacy. “Many people are puzzled and appear to be almost offended by the frankness in communication and, perhaps, carelessness that some people, especially youngsters, display with regard to their personal privacy” (Albrechtslund). I believe that this acceptance of participatory surveillance is brought on by the exhibitionism of users. If people do not post so much of their lives online, there would be nothing to spy on.
The invasion of personal privacy is a growing issue on the Web due to the lack of boundary control that users have. Due to participatory surveillance being a mutual act, it will take a mutual effort from all kinds of users to regain personal privacy on the Web. The question then boils down to: do people really want their privacy back or are too many exhibitionists out there who refuse to keep their lives private?
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