Democratic problems solutions Vian Bakir Prof Vian Bakir
Democratic problems & solutions Vian Bakir Prof. Vian Bakir Bangor University, UK
təʊˌtalɪˈtɛːrɪənɪz(ə)m, təˌtalɪˈtɛːrɪənɪz(ə)m/ noun: totalitarianism a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.
Totalitarianism (Wikipedia) a mode of government, which prohibits opposition parties, restricts individual opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high degree of control over public and private life … eg via mass surveillance
US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor - Edward Snowden
What do they collect? content of communications email, instant messages, search term in Google search, full web browsing histories. metadata who internet/telephony communications is from & to whom; when it was sent; duration of contact; from where it was sent; to where; record of web domains visited; mobile phone location data.
Is it intimate data? YES! When combined, content and metadata build a rich picture of your life, thoughts, online reading habits etc.
Is it intimate data? YES! When combined, content and metadata build a rich picture of your life, thoughts, online reading habits etc. Consider: data diversity data storage data linkage
veillant panoptic assemblage State intelligence agencies rely on commercial communications platforms to extract data a dystopian arrangement of unequal mutual watching
veillant panoptic assemblage surveillant assemblage (commercial data platforms) produce stock of analysable material that panopticon (state surveillance apparatus) appropriates
Surveillance -monitoring from position of power by those who aren’t a participant to the activity being watched Sousveillance -monitoring from position of minimal power, & by those participating in the activity being watched Equiveillance - equality between surveillant & sousveillant forces - a ‘transparent society’ (Steve Mann) Veillance - processes of mutual watching/monitoring by surveillant organizations & sousveillant individuals
I argue here , here and here that we need to increase civil society’s capacity to hold surveillant power to account
How? (a) Robust oversight mechanisms of intelligence agencies, via legislatures, judiciaries & press
How? (a) Robust oversight mechanisms of intelligence agencies, via legislatures, judiciaries & press BUT: - Oversight mechanisms are weak (secretive, co-opted, uninformed) - Secret, broad, vague intelligence-sharing agreements eg 43 Eyes (incl. Slovenia) - Uncritical journalism
How? (b) A move away from the ‘Collect it All’ mentality of commercial platforms
How? (b) A move away from the ‘Collect it All’ mentality of commercial platforms …. BUT: • Commercial imperative to generate more refined & targeted insights into consumers • Intelligence Agencies also want to Collect it All …
How? (c) Commit to prevent chilling effects & drift to tyranny (NSA leaked document in Glenn Greenwald’s No Place to Hide)
How? (c) Commit to prevent chilling effects …. Chilling effects observed in: • page views of Wikipedia articles on terrorism • usage of Facebook • decline in ‘privacy-sensitive’ search terms on Google that could get users into trouble with US government • Americans’ unwillingness to discuss Snowden story in social media • self-censorship of American writers post-Snowden • 14% of US investigative journalists gave up on a story or source because of surveillance fears
How? (c) Commit to prevent drift to tyranny/totalita rianism Privacy International documents sale of mass surveillance architecture to authoritarian governments: • Big Brother Incorporated (1995) • The Global Surveillance Industry (2016) • Surveillance Industry Index (SII)
Privacy International
Drift to totalitarianism? ‘It’s now technically possible to monitor entire groups and nations on a mass scale, systematically and relatively cheaply. This poses a fundamental threat to individuals security, civil society, human rights, as well as democracy itself. ’ (Privacy International)
What is to be done? Increase civil society’ capacity to hold surveillant power to account. (a) Demand more robust oversight mechanisms of intelligence agencies via by legislatures, judiciaries & press (b) Demand a move away from the ‘Collect it All’ mentality of commercial platforms (c) Commit to prevent chilling effects & drift to tyranny
- Slides: 24