New Media provides its users with endless connections, opportunities to connect and communicate, and entertainment consuming every minute of their lives. Some can argue that new media has made our lives better, which it has in some aspects. However, I would argue that it has made our lives better and worse. This post will examine three aspects of new media’s dark side and their impact on society.
AN Emerging Surveillance Society
Do you ever feel like you’re being watched? Do you ever feel as if your friends, family, or maybe even the government knows your every move? The emergence of a surveillance society reminded me of a book I read in high school. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Guy Montag lives in a society characterized by book burning, excessive use of technology, and constant surveillance. Although the novel was published in 1953, Bradbury’s novel accurately predicted the future, which we now call our present. To understand the rise of surveillance, I will first examine the Panopticon and the Synopticon then explore dark aspects of new media.
the Panopticon
Jeremy Bentham’s imaginary machine, the Panopticon, allowed complete surveillance of prison inmates and eliminated all hiding places to regulate behavior (Siapera, 2018, p. 115). This surveillance system is beneficial in three main ways.
- It removes the need for “an external enforcer to be present at all times” (Siapera, 2018, p. 115).
- It prevents or reduces wrongdoing because inmates are aware they will get caught.
- It makes power visible to all.
According to Michel Foucault, one of the Panopticon’s greatest benefits, is that it motivates people to “behave in ways that conform to the requirements of power” (Siapera, 2018, p. 115) and provides data to be collected, analyzed, and monetized.
This relates to our current society in America. More and more physical cameras are being incorporated into buildings and structures such as local businesses or even homes. For example, Ring Inc is a security camera by Amazon used in many homes to watch over it in a sense. Knowing a home has a Ring camera potentially discourages burglars from breaking into a house or stealing packages in front of a house.
the Synopticon
The Synopticon uses a seduction and mass media to turn the public into watchers who observe a few elites such as celebrities and stars (Siapera, 2018, p. 116). Observing the elite is a form of entertainment and education informing what is “the most worthy in life” (Siapera, 2018, p. 116). This as a mechanism is exemplified by celebrities endorsing certain brands such as Nike, Corona, Bud Light, Puma, Under Armor, and Doritos. Brands use celebrities’ prestige and power to motivate consumers to purchase their brands.
The power of the elite has created new jobs in society such as social media influencers. Their power derives from the millions of people who watch them on television or who follow their social media accounts yet they have the power to influence what their followers believe and buy. An example of a social media influencer is Liza Koshy.
Personalization leads to PRIVACY INTRUSIONS
Whenever new media users download an app, subscribe to a service, or sign up for a social media account, they agree to terms and agreements which they have possibly not read at all or in its entirety. The phrase terms and agreements have become mainstream because there is a general consensus that few people take the time to read the terms and agreements. Without knowing, people trade in their privacy with the opportunity to be connected to the global world through the Internet and to receive a personalized experience. This personalized experience is characterized by suggestions and advertisements tailored to each users preference, taste, style, and interest based on the data collected, analyzed, and sold.
Some people are nonchalant about their data being used and sold by big companies such as Google and Facebook. Edward Snowden, the 2013 whistle blower who “revealed the extent of the surveillance being undertaken by the U.S National Security Agency” (Siapera, 2018, p. 118) , warns against an unconcerned position.
“Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say.”
Edward Snowden (Siapera, 2018, p. 119)
Threats to security
New media has created cyber-conflicts and cyber-terrorism that threaten the security of society and information systems and enhances already present crimes.
Examples of Cyber-terrorism
- Hacking
- Denial-of-service (DDos)
- Domain Name Service (DNS)
- Worms
- Viruses
- Trojans
Hacking, aka information warfare, uses “information technology tools to attack enemy websites” (Siapera, 2018, p. 120), to distribute propaganda and information, and recruit followers. Hacking methods aim to get “access to top-secret information or otherwise sabotage [a] system” (Siapera, 2018, p. 121), and control computer systems.
New media increases the scale of traditional crimes like fraud and theft. Cyber-enabled crimes include the following techniques.
- Phishing
- Spoofing
- Pharming
- Fake websites
These techniques are effective because they take advantage of “people’s trust or belief in authority… [and] exploit people’s curiosity (Siapera, 2018, p. 127).
Our emerging surveillance society is a response to the damaged trust the public has in the system and online environments. No one wants to be terrorized online, have their money stolen, or have their children lured by predators. Therefore, society more than welcomes “attempts to police such environments, and are prepared to submit to methods of surveillance “‘for our own protection'” (Siapera, 2018, p. 127).
To learn how to protect your privacy, read about safe practices by Norton and the New York Times.
References
Siapera, E. (2018). Understanding new media (2nd ed.). London: SAGE Publications.
New Media: Understanding the Past and Present Views 