Surveillance technologies under scrutiny: the views and experiences of young adults in the West End of Glasgow

Abstract

The study explores young adults' subjective experiences and responses to surveillance in their everyday lives. It seeks to contribute to a thicker understanding of surveillance by using a transdisciplinary approach and mixed qualitative research methods (focus groups and participatory photography). Findings demonstrate a significant difference in young adults' perceptions between public-space and online surveillance that fundamentally affects their experiences and drives their responses to it. It uncovers a tactical and anticipated knowledge of surveillance that ordinarily leads to intuitive responses to public-space surveillance (passive and normalised) and conscious and cautious reactions to online surveillance (active and proactive).