Surveillance in Society

Control in Modern Society Traditional societies were small, intimate Rule breaking was easily detected and punished Modern societies are large & anonymous and, therefore, highly private Fewer social controls, less scrutiny How are order and trust to be maintained in the face of privacy and anonymity?

The Answer: Surveillance Steven Nock’s Essay Anonymous societies rely on reputation Conformity -> good reputation Deviance -> bad reputation Strangers have no prior reputation to us We rely on credentials (group memberships, resumes) and ordeals (drug tests, lie detectors, electronic searches, etc.) to assess them

The potential for scrutiny is a powerful form of social control that induces conformity

Culture of Surveillance NYC – over 2,000 public video cameras Nearly 90% of U.S. manufacturers test for drugs among their employees A Mass. company tracks web surfing habits of over 30 million internet users

The Functions of Surveillance Manifest function: Detect deviance Catch the bad guys (who can disagree?) Latent function: Deter deviance For most, the threat of detection will deter – (threatens one’s stakes in conformity)

“Technocorrections” Department of Justice Report, May 2000 Need for cost-effective ways to supervise criminals & enhance safety Electronic tracking and location systems (bracelets, skin implants) Pharmocological control of behavior Genetic risk assessment -> gene management Risk assessment

It Could be Anyone We are all potential suspects! How much surveillance is too much? Should we have hidden cameras in classrooms to prevent cheating? How about dorm rooms to prevent drug use, property damage, or premarital sex?

Should We Care? Fourth Amendment, U.S. Constitution: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.