Social Media Surveillance

Abstract

Abstract Human beings are routinely aware of their environment, noting the behavior of others nearby. This surveillance occurs in every social system, including on social media websites such as Twitter, Google+, YouTube, and Facebook. The companies providing these services use this data to create profiles that can be used to show users targeted advertisements. This has been enabled by rapid development of computing and communication technologies. Social media users spend a great deal of time curating online “exhibitions” of different aspects of their identities. This is especially important to young people developing independent identities and peer relationships. The use of social networks is a key part of this process in advanced economies, critical for friendships, social capital, and popularity. Social media surveillance reduces individuals' control over the information they disclose about their attributes in different social contexts, often to powerful actors such as the state or multinational corporations. This limits their ability to regulate their social interactions and identities. It may also have a “chilling effect” on the possibilities for whistle-blowing and democratic activism. More broadly, new surveillance technologies can lead to “social sorting,” where discrimination and privilege are entrenched through the unplanned consequences of data gathering and analysis.