Are We Ready To Live In An Uberveillance Society
Author / Interviewer
University of Wollongong Media Unit
Abstract
When Google Glass hits stores later this year, not only will it transform sunglasses from fashion accessory to wearable technology, it will cause a social revolution, says IEEE Technology & Society Magazine editor in chief, Associate Professor Katina Michael. The Sci-Fi-looking, internet-connected eyewear can do everything a mobile phone can do (and more) with a simple voice command.
Beyond the obvious functions – snapping photos, recording video, send text messages and searching the internet – some of the most exciting uses include biofeedback (monitor your heart rate on your morning run), instruction (stream step-by-step video tutorials) and navigation (map out a route to the other side of the city or out of IKEA). But Associate Professor Michael warns we are fast approaching an “Uberveillance” society. The next wave of innovations, she predicts, might even be implantable cameras – that are always on.
“Wearable devices like Google Glass allow users to record events and share them with members of their social network in near-real time. Users can also take photos, record audio and video and even store an image for automatic facial detection of their contact list. The possible apps are endless.”
Keywords
Uberveillance, Google Glass, Sousveillance, Dataveillance, Surveillance, Social Implications, Wearables, Alexander Hayes, Higher Education, Implantables
Publisher
University of Wollongong
Publication Date
April 18, 2013
Week
3
Page
N/A
Section
N/A
Suggested Citation
UOW Media Unit, Alexander Hayes and Katina Michael. "Are We Ready to Live In An Uberveillance Society?" UOW Latest News (2013) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/kmichael/345/
UOW Media Unit, Alexander Hayes, and Katina Michael. "Are We Ready to Live In An Uberveillance Society?" UOW Latest News Apr. 2013. Available at http://media.uow.edu.au/news/UOW147704.html
