Monday, June 01, 2009

qik & sousveillance


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sousveillance


Sousveillance is about us all 'at the bottom' observing what goes on around and above us in an intentional way.  Missteps by those in power (censorship, abuse, illegal moves of other kinds) can be recorded and cataloged just as well as the illegal moves of those 'below' -- us -- can be recorded and cataloged by those in power.

Qik may be a tool that takes sousveillance where it really needs to go -- live feed.  It's got some kind of Facebook app too that I haven't explored yet.  Camera phones can be confiscated -- but if the video is streaming live, then you can imagine that security may become reticent even to take said phone away, as long as doing so is an illegal act (or an embarrassment for the org or polis they may represent).

This could hold feet to fire.  This could be a real tool for The People to document grievances against their states.  "Equiveillance" is the term, I think.

They're watching, and we're watching too.