FC: World Sousveillance Day: Inverse surveillance day on 12/24

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

---

From: Steve Mann <mann () eecg toronto edu>
Subject: Re: FC: Denver photographer arrested for photo'ing Dick Cheney's 
hotel?
To: declan () well com
Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 13:42:02 -0500 (EST)
In-Reply-To: <5.1.1.6.0.20021207115437.02a2e008 () mail well com> from "Declan 
McCullagh" at Dec 07, 2002 12:02:45 PM

> Also see:
> http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0048gq

> -Declan

Here's something that might also be of interest to your PoliTech email list:


World Sousveillance Day: http://wearcam.org/wsd.htm
("sousveillance" is inverse surveillance: accountability from below)

                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

   An international coalition that includes artists, scientists,
   engineers, scholars, and others is declaring December 24, to be "World
   Sousveillance Day".

                        THE SHOT SEEN AROUND THE WORLD:

   At noon on Tuesday, December 24, 2002, ordinary people all over the
   world will call into question the growing and dehumanizing effects of
   increased video surveillance, automated face recognition, and
   Covernment (Corporate+Government) tracking in public places, as well
   as private places.

   Often Covernment officials that use video surveillance try to prohibit
   others from taking pictures or video within their establishments or
   regimes, but on this day, many people will photograph these officials,
   their establishments, and their security systems.

   As high noon sweeps past various time zones, the shot heard around the
   world will be that of clicking cameras.

   Rather than protesting by carrying signs, or by marching, citizens
   will protest by going on shooting sprees.  Armed with their own
   photographic or videographic cameras and recording devices, ordinary
   citizens will dish out some accountability.

                            HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?

   All you need to do is bring a camera --- any camera (even a fake or
   broken camera, or one with an empty film magazine) --- to a place
   where video surveillance is used.

                      HOW WILL I KNOW WHO I SHOULD SHOOT?

   Taking pictures of the surveillance cameras will cause models to
   appear very quickly for you to photograph.  When you point your
   camera at their cameras, the officials watching their television
   monitors will very quickly dispatch the models for you to shoot.
   This is a universal phenomenon that happens in nearly any large
   organization where video surveillance is used.  Models often carry
   two--way radios and wear navy blue uniforms with special badges.

   Why December 24th?

   This is a day when security forces are very busy watching for
   shoplifters, and it is also a time when folks are reflecting on the
   year's activity and it's something to do rather than merely buy
   something.  For more info, see http://wearcam.org/wsd.htm




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