We will become “digitally woke.” (Quote: Privacy Paradox) Angela Richter’s Supernerds and the podcast The Privacy Paradox introduced us to several small challenges that demonstrated how we can change our user behavior to increase our privacy protection in the digital realm. Think a little bit bigger. How can you actually use surveillance to improve your privacy protection? Research your digital identity (profiles) by using surveillance technology as a form of protection. Which data is collected about you? What knowledge does your collected data tell us about you? For example, download or try to access your data shared with social media platforms such as Facebook and get a better oversight which data is collected about you and your surroundings. Each day of your challenge, engage with another digital tool to test ways in which you can bring back control over your digital identity. When we define
counter-surveillance as a form of bringing back agency over our digital data doubles, then the European Right to be Forgotten can be seen as a counter-surveillance measurement as well.
1. Applymagicsauce.com
2. Ad Blockers
3. Encrypted Text Messaging
4. Privacy Settings
5. …
Documentation:
For one week (7 days) you will create a data diary and describe measurements that you have taken to regain control of your digital self. Focus on one application for each day. For the final project, please submit your data diary and write a 3-page reflection upon your experiment. The reflection needs to be written in the form of a short research paper. In an introductory paragraph describing the parameters of your experiment. Research different apps, settings, software, and add-ons that you used to control the access to your personal data. The Privacy Paradox already introduced you to several measurements to take back control of your digital data double. Each day write a short paragraph about how you took back control of your data and how it grapples with the themes depicted in this course. How does your understanding of your digital self change during the experiment?
Reflection (3 pages):
• Frame your 3-page paper theoretically and define what counter-surveillance is. Then tackle the following questions: Which counter-surveillance techniques are you employing and why? What is the goal of the selected measurements? What (self-)knowledge through taking back your digital identity do you want to gain? When does data turn into valuable information for you? What are your personal terms of service? Develop 5 rules for equity and fairness when it comes to data sharing.
• Critically analyze the apps, add-ons, settings, etc. that you used to support your countersurveillance project. Please find here the Privacy-Paradox tip sheet. Write a review. What were the benefits of using this particular countersurveillance technique? What are the limits of it?
• Stay in contact with your group members. What are similar outcomes of your countersurveillance project? In which ways are your results different? Include a final paragraph in which you analyze your group-data.