behaviour under observation

Behaviour under observation Tim Kindberg

Paying Attention, September 2012

2 Behaviour under Observation, Paying Attention, September 2010

Observation

“…we are all ambulatory autobiographies continuously and unavoidably emitting data for others’ senses and machines. The uncontrollable leakage of some information is a condition of physical and social existence.” Gary T. Marx


Powerful observers of our lives


I was a digital ‘spy’


Kitchen Stories (Bent Hamer)

•  Observers may be nice & useful


Observation, architecture & embodiment •  From Jeremy Bentham’s conception to

modern Illinois penitentiary


The Focus Room

“Bionetics’ corporate headquarters in Newport News, VA includes a state-of-the-art focus room …The facility is designed with all of the key features required to make it an effective market research tool, such as:

A 20 x 20 ft. focus room with modular furniture to meet all types of seating requirements, video and audio recording devices, easels, whiteboards and projection capability.

A theater-style client viewing room, with one-way mirrored glass, countertop lighting and seating for 12 persons ….


Embodiment

•  My body, my guarded statements, in their room •  Their bodies & discussion behind one-way mirror


Handful of paid people in a room?! That sucks!!!!


Being in the experiment

•  Every page from Facebook, Google, etc. is an experiment and a data-gathering exercise •  Did this ad work in this context? •  Did this UI design lead to more data acquisition than

that one?

•  We are in the experiment whenever online •  Anonymised or not •  Anonymisation is suspended identification


Embodiment

•  My body at home or at a mobile location •  My unguarded statements in their data centre


Suggested response

•  A series of performances that re-situate observers and observed

13 Behaviour under observation, Paying Attention, September 2010

1: Invoice Facebook

•  For use of my data •  How much?


Economics of ‘free’

•  Let D = value(my data), S = value(their service) •  If D ≠ 0 then ‘free’ doesn’t really apply •  Instead, a question: D ≤ S? •  Suppose instead that D > S. Then they owe me.


2: Open Market Floor

•  Grain, minerals, … why not personal data?

3: Observation room

Participants in the ‘machine’, observing Facebook ‘performers’ Participants responding to status updates with product suggestions


4: Google Homeview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMFBuHsKXb0


Observers’ power

•  Google etc. have £billions worth of computing power

•  Pseudonymity/anonymity isn’t secure as long as our data is centralised

•  Statistical attacks on anonymity


Behaviour under observation

•  Peer-to-peer technologies •  Satirical and imaginative responses •  Self-control •  More care about where we invest our ‘thrall’ •  The value of silence, reflection and reserve


Thank you! Discussion…

•  matter2media.com •  [email protected]

behaviour under observation

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