The Opportunity Cost of Surveilance

In “From Big Brother to the Electric Panopticon,” David Lyon analyzes two perceptions of surveillance and prompts the question of how such theories relate to the present day. Lyon’s defines George Orwell’s “Dystopia” as the idea of a defined yet veiled form of observation, one where “those under surveillance were unsure whether there was any time they could relax” (60). The “Panopticon,” on the other hand, also involves observation but centers around inspection. Individuals under surveillance become aware of external viewing to the point that they begin to inspect themselves they are “bearers of their own surveillance” (66). Through modern processes of data collection—from license plates to Internet searches—Lyons suggests that we have become increasingly aware of surveillance in our everyday habits. The developed world has reached the point where “Dystopia” and the “Panopticon” have become realities.

     Few, if any, people can prevent surveillance in the twenty-first century; I argue that we accept our residence in an observation-dominant world in exchange for connectivity. The same technologies that blur “distinctions between private and public life” (71) simultaneously bring individual public and private lives together. Facebook, for example, offers “friends” (no matter how close) the opportunity to share photographs and articles, play games, and message. Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg commented on the networks his platform creates in his January 1, 2015 update, declaring, “may all our efforts make the world a smaller, warmer, happier, and more connected place this year.” As one interacts to a higher degree with Facebook (and makes his or her world “smaller”), the social media platform’s surveillance increases. Instagram’s ability to offer “suggested” account to follow based on one’s current follow list (in addition to friends I follow National Parks, outdoors photographers, and Boston sports teams—and receive very relevant suggestions) highlights its ability to cater to personal preference, but also its power of surveillance. It’s inevitable that we experience the surveillance theories outlined in Lyon’s article. We now must determine what we’re willing to receive in exchange.

Lyon, David. “From Big Brother to the Electronic Panopticon.” The Electronic Eye: The Rise of Surveillance Society. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota, 1994. 57-79. Print.