Privacy Regimes, Crisis Strategies, and Governments’ Legitimizing of Digital Surveillance Technology: Comparing Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom

Abstract

ABSTRACT The future trajectory of government surveillance is unmistakable: it is increasing. Yet, despite an increase in implemented surveillance measures, there is still a lack of understanding about the ways in which governments legitimize new surveillance measures and why that might vary across countries. This paper argues that ways of legitimizing digital surveillance technology are shaped by privacy regime legacies and overarching strategies of problem-solving when facing a crisis. With a cross-country comparison, the study finds both similar and different legitimacy strategies by governments in Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The analysis demonstrates the significance of historical privacy practices and governmental problem-solving capacities in shaping technological change and future directions for public administration.