Talking about surveillance and human rights: how the Mexican press discussed the Gobierno Espia investigation

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyse the relationship that exists between human rights and surveillance. The main objective is to assess the way public opinion and academia discuss the connections between the two topics. Specifically, evaluating the reactions that surfaced in the Mexican media after the disclosure of the Gobierno Espía investigation. The research draws upon mostly opinion columns that were published in Mexico once the investigation went public. Qualitative document analysis was performed over a sample of 88 different opinion columns, examining the key themes that better represented the discussion that happened in the Mexican press.
Upon examination, it is concluded that academia and public opinion agree on the negative effects that unregulated surveillance has on the enjoyment of human rights. In this particular case, the rights to association, protest and freedom of expression. However, the research also finds that the human rights’ language and concepts are rarely heard in public opinion in Mexico, while other themes such as corruption and accountability are more recurrent. The latter leaves important reflections on the job human rights academics must do in order to communicate with broader audiences.