Suspicious Privacy


  • Photographer
    Sol Hill
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention
  • Company/Studios
    Sol Hill Studio
  • Date of Photograph
    3/4/12
  • Technical Info
    digital photographs of screen

Photographs of a Homeland Security document titled “Analysts Desktop Binder” which outlines the protocols around electronic communication surveillance and lists the keywords that algorithmically trigger an analyst's attention. I utilize a macro lens on a DSLR while photographing the document on a computer screen with a high ISO setting. I employ a variety of techniques including long exposure, camera movement and image toning to achieve the visual effects produced by the interference that occurs between a digital sensor and a monitor. I employ these effects to draw attention to the digital nature of the subject of online privacy and surveillance.

Story

In this day of government eavesdropping and corporate data collecting, privacy has become an archaic term. Institutional knowledge about our interests, communications, buying habits and personal information grows daily. As privacy statements become longer and full of indecipherable legalese, laws are passed that authorize both corporate data gathering and government eavesdropping. Meanwhile, in this world of instantaneous digital communication, the self control once exhibited in face to face communication ebbs. Thoughtless verbal flames are commonplace online. But somewhere our online behavior is being recorded. If context is everything, the question I have is what kind of context gets built for us in the databases that track us?
These images are made of a Department of Homeland Security document titled “Analysts Desktop Binder, 2011-Redacted,” which outlines the protocols around social media, blog and electronic communication surveillance and lists the keywords that algorithmically trigger an analyst's attention. I utilize a macro lens on a DSLR while photographing the document on my computer screen with a high ISO setting. I employ a variety of camera techniques to achieve the visual effects produced by the interference that occurs between a digital sensor and a monitor. Other effects are from long exposure, camera movement and image toning. I employ these effects to draw attention to the digital nature of the subject of online privacy and surveillance.

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