Surveillance In A Digital Age

Abstract

This chapter discusses the contemporary reality of digital mass surveillance and its implications for journalism and the wider public. It begins by outlining key theoretical concepts from the academic field of surveillance studies. The chapter provides an overview of the practices of state surveillance, as highlighted by the Snowden leaks, as well as commercial surveillance, for example the extensive data gathering by internet companies. According to surveillance scholars, ubiquitous monitoring is forming a 'surveillance society' in which all manner of everyday activities are recorded, checked, traced and monitored. The Snowden revelations have pointed to a core actor in surveillance relations—the state—and demonstrated the diverse practices of state surveillance in the digital age. The 'big data' generated through social media platforms for commercial profit is at the heart of surveillance trends. The limits and distortions of the media coverage of the Snowden leaks are reflected in the public knowledge and debate about digital surveillance.