Human Agency and Data-Intensive Surveillance

This paper explores the human condition that we are not just observed objects but also subjects who experience and practice data-intensive surveillance systems. We offer a study of the “who” of surveillance and by scrutinizing experiences and practices, we can thus gain valuable insights into the broader implications and challenges of surveillance technologies across different domains. The health domain is here particularly relevant to focus attention on, as it intersects with the broader surveillance landscape.<br/><br/>We present a research perspective that challenges the notion of surveillance as a one-way exercise of power and instead approach technologies as non-neutral and shaped by social contexts. Surveillance theory traditionally views it as a tool for enforcing power, whether through government control or individual self-regulation according to societal norms. We focus on how technology and human interaction influence each other, suggesting that the impact of surveillance technologies depends on their context and use. This view challenges the notion that surveillance is simply a one-way exertion of power and highlights how technology is shaped by its social environment. It emphasizes the need to understand surveillance not just as a neutral tool with predetermined effects but as something influenced by ongoing social and technical interactions.<br/><br/>With an emphasis on human agency, we ask: How do people experience data-intensive surveillance, and how do notions of privacy and consent affect this experience? How is human agency restricted or enabled by digital surveillance technologies? How do people identify and use opportunities for agency in systems of data-intensive surveillance?<br/>