Surveillance: Are We Being Watched, Who By, And Does It Matter? A Study To Capture An Individual’s Digital Footprint Over A 24-Hour Period

We are living in exponential times: technology is ubiquitous, the boundaries of on-line off-line are becoming undistinguishable, and geographical distances no longer constrict our activities. What will be, and what are, the consequences of existing in a technologically saturated environment? From the moment of conception, the data trail begins, our personas recorded on databases, social networking sites and CCTV as we go about our everyday lives. What impact does such amassment of data have on society, communities and personal identities within the UK? The reality is that the personal totality of exposure to technology development is a significant research challenge to quantify. There is a critical need to capture these activities in some sort of holistic and interconnected manner. This research will provide an ethnographic snapshot of individual exposure to database and surveillance technologies over a 24-hour period, in the process establishing a repeatable methodology to enable quantification of an individual’s 21st century digital footprint