User:Pedro Sá Couto/Graduate Research Seminar/Thesis Outline 01

Introduction

Background

Agreeing with the terms and conditions of big centralized tech companies is binary, you are either in or out and we are not aware of what it takes to make us feel connected. Being online is a demand for being public, to create an audience and have a bigger reach. Small communities move to different platforms to fight surveillance and to test new alternatives to centralization, but sill I have always debated on why do users that move from Twitter to Mastodon feel the need to make cross-platform posts. Being a big technology enthusiast, from free software projects to big releases I didn't usually think before trying, buying or consuming. From a growing interest in the Piet Zwart around digital culture, I became more aware and critical on the topic.

Thesis Statement

Topic

Surveillance/ Identity control/ Self improvement

Focus

Normalization of digital surveillance

Argument

The Normalization of digital surveillance and the development of technology is changing how we control our online identity

Revise

Digital surveillance is such an active part of our online interactions that questioning tends to be an impossible act. While creating extensions for ourselves, from being a part of online communities to acquiring wearable gadgets, our digital footprint is expanding and becoming more detailed.

Scope

Digital surveillance is such an active part of our online interactions that questioning tends to be an impossible act within a contemporary society where we are more connected online than ever. While creating extensions for ourselves, from being a part of online communities to acquiring wearable gadgets, our digital footprint is expanding and becoming more detailed.

Body

The chain of power in surveillance

Governments make it hard to question

1. "policy affecting our everyday life is moved further from our ability to influence, affect or even understand it. At the same time, the increased use of surveillance and monitoring technologies makes the individual more vulnerable to, and accountable to, these very organizations that are themselves becoming less accountable to the surveilled populace." (Mann, 2003)
2. "If it's illegal, send me to jail" (Moreira, 2019) the mayor of the city of Porto formally addresses the issue of CCTV with a very strong position to surveillance that can't even be questioned while being illegal.

Companies lack accountability

1. If we want to question we are far from the root
2. We take the binary action of accepting

Increasing our digital footprint

Need to be online

1. Supporting evidence
2. Supporting evidence

Creating digital self-extentions

1. Supporting evidence
2. Supporting evidence

Normalization of surveillance

Being online is not in question, nor what it takes

1. Supporting evidence
2. Supporting evidence

Devaluing privacy to make our daily routine simpler

1. Supporting evidence
2. Supporting evidence

Conclusion

!main points of my paper and Restate my thesis in fresh words goes here!
!stong/memorable final statement goes here!