LI Ming Tak Kearny, SID: 10614044, Blog Post 1.

Interactive surveillance: the manipulation of your own privacy?

In our daily life, we often browse through different online shops. Nowadays, there are many online shops providing fully customised products. Like in 1964ears.com where customers order for fully customisable in-ear monitors. Upon the company received our custom orders, which is in a sense, we are disclosing our preferences. As a form of information gather to the company; in order to product the unique products which are only tailor made to each specific customers only with their own ear molds as the shape of their in-ear monitors.

These custom tailor made products took full advantage of Interactive surveillance, we as a customer self-disclose our preference and choices. Minimising the cost on market consumption research. Even to an extent, creating a customer oriented, tailor made consumption culture. For more clarity to customers, 1964 ears are willing to gain access to your location, where they can estimate a mailing time for the product and further enhance the level of efficiency for both company and customers.

This example echoes with what Andrejevic (2002) suggests, interactive surveillance actually repositioned the relationship between customers and the company, from former a more “top-down” into a “bottom-up” circumstances, which means customers now have more control to what they need and what they want rather than to go out and choose for what is closest to their actual desire.

This put us wondering, is these custom made consumption culture inherently enabled companies who at first glance produce tailor made product. But in fact these companies are actually manipulating the information that we as a customer disclosed in a non-conscious manner. Information in itself is non-productive. However with the information gained from what you had browsed before on the internet, disclosed your preferences and desires, then to convert these pieces into advertisements, preference oriented customization and recommendation for further consumption. Will you feel offended when you receive a tailor made product? Will you feel being watched when you receive news or promotion from companies with products that you want? Information manipulation is surrounding us, good or bad? That is up to your thoughts.

References:

Andrejevic, M. (2002). The Work of Being Watched: Interactive Media and the Exploitation of Self-Disclosure. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 19(2), 230-248.

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