2. You all know about big
brother.
Debate narrowly focussed on state
surveillance - as if spies and police
were the only actors using
surveillance and violence the only
possible harm…..
!
‘I’m not a criminal or a political radical
why should I care’
!
Simplistic ‘people good - state &
criminals bad’ view of surveillance
leading to transparent society style
arguments, and ignoring non violent
oppression and discrimination.
4. Father Fredrick
(big daddy)
“Is there an
algorithm for
profitability?”!
!
Father Fredrick values efficiency,
money, hard work and good grades. His
dream is a world where everyone is
objectively ranked and graded, where
productivity and economic value is
constantly measured.
5. Father Fredrick
•
e.g.
•
•
•
•
Performance metrics, gamification &
tracking devices.!
Bigdata recruitment!
Vetting and blacklisting agencies!
Insurance !
Credit rating
Economic exclusion!
• Cumulative disadvantage!
Potential !• Loss of non quantifiable values.!
Harms • False belief big data is unbiassed!
• Loss of freedom and autonomy.!
• Intrusion of work into home and social
life.
•
6. Mother Matrix
Fitter, happier, more
productive, comfortable,
not drinking too much,
regular exercise at the gym
(3 days a week), getting on
better with your associate
employee contemporaries, at
ease, eating well (no more
microwave dinners and
saturated fats), a patient
better driver, a safer car
(baby smiling in back
seat), sleeping well (no
bad dreams), no paranoia,
careful to all animals
(never washing spiders down
the plughole), keep in
contact with old friends
(enjoy a drink now and
then),
(big mother)
“We want you to be
healthy. To help you
make better
choices”!
!
Mother matrix wants you to be safe and
healthy. To regulate customs, habits,
health and sexual practices. Eat well,
exercise regularly, take your medicine
and socialise appropriately.
7. Mother Matrix
Fitter, happier, more
productive, comfortable,
not drinking too much,
regular exercise at the gym
(3 days a week), getting on
better with your associate
employee contemporaries, at
ease, eating well (no more
microwave dinners and
saturated fats), a patient
better driver, a safer car
(baby smiling in back
seat), sleeping well (no
bad dreams), no paranoia,
careful to all animals
(never washing spiders down
the plughole), keep in
contact with old friends
(enjoy a drink now and
then),
•
e.g.
•
•
•
(big mother)
Medical establishment!
Social services!
Quantified self!
Biopower in the Foucault sense
Medicalisation of the political and
social.!
Potential !• Denial of future medication or
insurance coverage to noncompliant
Harms
individuals.!
• Intrusion of rational authority into
personal life.
•
8. Big Sister
“We want to know
you better than you
know yourself. ”!
!
Big sister knows exactly the kind of
person you are and wants to make all
your decisions for you. She profiles your
interests and sorts you into categories
so she can personalise everything and
advise you.
9. Big Sister
•
e.g.
•
•
Marketing & personalised algorithms!
Recommender algorithms!
Google Now
Filter bubble!
• Diminishes peoples’s range of future
options.!
• Manipulation of choices by
Potential ! corporations cannot be discovered.!
Harms • Loss of a shared public space/
experiences as they become tailored.!
• Increased consumer inequality due to
personalised pricing & differing
service quality.!
• Needs of those not surveilled ignored.
•
10. Little Brother
“Sunlight is the best
disinfectant and
revenge is best
served cold ”!
!
He hates his older sibling but only
because he is stronger. Prankish,
capricious and angry, he is equally at
home exposing abuses by the powerful,
enforcing reactionary values or just
fucking over people for the lutz. It
depends on his mood.
11. Little Brother
•
•
e.g.
•
•
•
Transparent society / Sousveilance!
Wikileaks!
Anons 4chan!
Arab Electronic Army!
Random individual stalking &
Revenge porn
Harassment, embarrassment and
stigmatisation of individuals!
• Cyber bullying, blackmail & Sexual
Potential ! harms!
Harms
• Exposure of confidential information.!
• Reactionary mob as arbiter of values!
• Loss of safe private space for
experimentation
•
12. Little Sister
“I want you to
capture and share
this moment.”!
!
Hyper social Little sister keeps a diary.
She also loves to share. She really cares
what people think of her and she wants
to know the gossip on everyone, family,
friends, potential friends, lovers.,
colleagues.
13. Little Sister
•
e.g.
•
•
Life loggers!
Following friends.!
Social Rating of people
Incrimination of self and others by
documenting.!
• Jealous or controlling stalking!
• Experience is valued for its broadcast
Potential ! or diary value not for itself.!
Harms
• Expanded influence of peer groups
and public judgement on decision
making.!
• Judging people by online profile and
rating.
•
14. The family might argue, they might have different interests
but they love to share with each other and they all want the
same thing..… more surveillance and social sorting!
15. More info :stopthecyborgs.org!
–cat image CC http://www.flickr.com/photos/forsytht/3677185152/sizes/l/in/photostream/
- time & motion man License Attribution Some rights reserved by Kheel Center, Cornell University
-lyrics radio head (but snippet so fair use)
- Memoto image - self drawn
- Other images CC http://datadealer.com
- entire presentation can be used / modified whatever subject to restrictions on images as above
