Video description: In today’s digital age, there are many ways to be watched. Governments use a number of surveillance tactics, especially online, to monitor the behavior of their citizens. Private corporations are constantly accumulating vast amounts of personal data, from our shopping habits to our political leanings. Who exactly is watching us? What can they see? And how can they use this information? Although the balance between privacy and security is an age-old dilemma, the amount of information being generated and collected via smartphones and on the internet has amplified this tension. Some argue that data collection improves lives — catching the criminal before he acts or improving health with big data analytics. Yet, as seen in recent events around the world, these data can be exploited to manipulate users. We will take a new look at the ongoing debates surrounding the tradeoffs and how the interaction between the public and private sectors may evolve.

Panelists
David Dobkin, Princeton University; Robert K. Knake, Council on Foreign Relations; Susan Landau, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Renate Samson, Big Brother Watch; Harlan Yu, Upturn

Moderator: Fred Kaplan, Slate

Learn more: https://fungforum.princeton.edu/