The 21st Century Panopticon

Have you ever wondered what exactly your computer, phone, tablet is doing behind its interface? That silent companion listens, understands and recognises you on a level that no human ever could. It sees the invisible, hears silence, deduces something from nothing and yet, it can’t help but feel like a one-sided relationship.

What Is The Panopticon?

Let’s travel back to the mid 1700s, Jeremy Bentham, a philosopher and social theorist invented a prison system called the Panopticon. Its layout, a centered tower surrounded by a circular wall of cells allowed the officers in the tower to operate a 24-hour surveillance system whereby no prisoner could escape their watchmen. The notion of central inspection continues to this day and will evolve to unprecedented levels as long as humans are alive. (Mc Mullen, T, 2015).

Surveillance Today

This asymmetrical inspection of behaviour has allowed the panopticon to flourish into new forms as technology evolves, and data becomes a global language. Are we simply objects of information? Are we being exploited by large corporations while we use our devices? Are we unknowingly being commodified by our commodities? Well, as it turns out, not exactly. You see, the use of data to derive insights is no doubt slightly daunting, as any new technology is. The anxiety of the unspecified is perhaps our biggest limitation, breeding mistrust and in some cases conspiracy. The data panopticon is not necessarily a tool used to subdue us, but rather a means with which our society has evolved and will continue to evolve to an unprecedented degree.

Data Collection Today

We are living in a world where we, as people, are becoming smarter, more informed and more aware of the world around us. Data collection allows us to connect with old friends, building relationships, which are the cornerstone of booming societies. Data collection enables those in power to determine who in society may be overlooked and which demographics not only need but deserve support. Data processing systems operate around the clock to ensure that our lives are improved and continue to flourish as the societies around us blossom. Data collection not only provides us with incredible technology in the present, it operates tirelessly to determine what we will require in the future! Consider the products, machines and services that are used every day, by us and by our experts in order to protect us: mobile phones, computers, online banking, transportation services, search engines, medical equipment, machines that predict natural disasters, devices that undergo comet deflection, instruments that predict and help prevent global devastation. It would not be feasible for mechanisms such as these to operate without data collection and it would not be possible for us to thrive as we do without them. (Lawrence, J, D, 2024).

Data driven approaches to healthcare allow professionals to make informed decisions about the health of their patients. It enables experts in various fields to identify potential risks based on biological and cultural factors and furthermore enhances patient care, reducing the risk of serious illness as a result of predictive metrics. Think of COVID-19, and how our professionals knew exactly when to dole out vaccines to the public to limit and prevent catastrophe. Consider the process of creating the vaccine and the incredible speed at which professionals managed to do so as a result of existing data on similar pathogens. Data collection allowed proactive interventions, reducing global devastation. Machine learning algorithms are now being used to develop a personalised approach to medical treatment whereby, on a patient-by-patient basis, risks and potential side effects can be easily identified. There are now advancements to help people suffering from paralysis to communicate by decoding brain activity! (Lawrence, J, D, 2024).

Data collection and governance allows businesses to enhance client satisfaction, determine market trends, predict future growth and identify new market opportunities. Data driven approaches allow businesses to not only increase opportunities, but to revolutionise their clients' experiences. Data processing enables businesses to design and develop products that we, as consumers, have yet to notice that we need, for example mobile phones, Leap cards, online banking etc! (Lawrence, J, D, 2024).

The Transformation

It is difficult to judge the silent friend based on intent. It is daunting to know that a cloud of data may recognise us better than our closest friends and partners. It is inconceivable that a crystal ball, let alone an invisible network can predict the future. However, once we begin to understand data, we can comprehend that the relationship is not asymmetrical. The concern that large corporations may be skimming our online shopping habits, is far outweighed by the fact that if we become sick, a vaccine is already prepared, when we age, our doctors have already begun to prolong our lives, if the market is to decline, intervention has long since commenced and if we wish for a question to be answered, we need only ask. Data has not only revolutionised lives, but it has also saved lives! Once we can comprehend that we are not being detained by the 21st Century’s panopticon, but rather we are being liberated and given a better outlook on our lives, from inmate to watchtower, we can thank our silent friends and appreciate that they have transformed our lives more than we can grasp