Public Sphere and Panopticism: considerations about surveillance in everyday life

Abstract

Nowadays, is not possible to discuss questions about "information society" and communication policy without mention of the technological structures that enhance the public debate. Indeed, it is important to include the Internet and the social media in the set of stages which contribute to give to the public sphere a higher coverage. In the current model of mass self- communication, the citizens are no longer only spectators in the arenas of public discussion, but active participants in a process that breaks with the traditional paradigm broadcast (media) €“ receiver (audience). New information technology offers huge benefits but there’s always a price to pay. Ironically, the technologies that increase the citizenship are the same which intensify the electronic eye and the panopticon surveillance society. We believe that our societies need more ethics and politics discussion in an era of a certain vulgarization of surveillance practices. This article revisits the Foucault’s concept of panopticism and the adaption of the architectural design to power relationships. In fact, there can be no theorization of contemporary surveillance society without mention the original model of the utilitarian philosophy Jeremy Bentham. The paper in hand constructs, theoretically, an approach between information society and modern surveillance aspects in everyday life.