The International Studies Public Forum and Intel Science and Technology Center for Social Computing present

“Surveillance after Snowden: Decoding the 'Snooping Scandal'”
with David Lyon, Director, Surveillance Studies Centre, Queen's University, Canada

Thursday, February 27, 2014
5:00-6:50 p.m.
Social Science Plaza A, Room 1100  

Revelations from the National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden are making waves around the world. Mass surveillance programs track personal data from internet companies targeting everyone from ordinary citizens to heads-of-state. Many are outraged; few saw the writing on the (Facebook) wall. After exploring what exactly has been revealed, we ask how to respond, in ethical and critical ways? One, this has been developing for decades. The rise of “risk society” and of data-driven organizations; digital dreams dominate; public-and-private blur into one. Two, why do we tolerate it? The familiarity factor in everyday surveillance, the fear factor after 9/11 and the fun factor of social media produce compliance, not critique. Three, what’s really at stake? Not just privacy and autonomy but accountability, freedom, dignity – in short, human flourishing.

David Lyon is director of the Surveillance Studies Centre, Queen’s Research Chair in Surveillance Studies, professor of sociology and law at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario. From 2008-10, he held a Killam Research Fellowship from the Canada Council. In 2007 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Sociological Association, Communication and Information Technology Section; in 2008 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada; in 2012 he received an Outstanding Contribution Award from the Canadian Sociological Association and in 2013 he was elected to the Academy of Social Sciences, UK. He has authored or edited 27 books and published many articles.

Sponsored by the Newkirk Center for Science and Society.

For further information, please contact Gloria Simpson, simpsong@uci.edu or 949-824-8687.

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