A Panopticon refers to a circular building with a observation tower in the center of an open space surrounded by an outer wall made up of cells for inmates. The purpose of a panopticon is to increase the security through the effectiveness of surveillance. The inmates cannot observe the actions of the other fellow inmates, but everyone's actions can be surveyed from the panopticon. Although this style of architecture could be used for various institutions such as schools, factories and the like, Bentham specifically uses a prison as an example. The inside of the tower, though, cannot be seen. It individualizes and leaves them constantly visible; never knowing when they are being observed. The occupant is always “the object of information, never a subject in communication.” This type of design can be used for any population that needs to be kept under observation, such as: prisoners, schoolchildren, medical patients or workers. A classic example of a present day panopticon would be the audience of the reality show 'BIG BROTHER'.
An information panopticon refers to the same, except that the architecture now refers to an information network; wherein each member's actions are hidden from the other members, but there exists an overseer of all that happens on this network. This concept is used even in the workplace; a classic example being our IITM moodle website wherein the administrator can summon any information with regard to any aspect within the network. Information and Communication Technology is impacted greatly by the information Panopticon. With regard to the internet (the most classic example of ICT), users can remain anonymous (or use an alias) while viewing a large amount of information. The Internet redefines the Panopticon, as the vast information is open for all to see. Thus, present day ICT is focused not in creating new networks, but in encrypting existing ones and modeling the internet to be more and more of the 'Panopticon' that Bentham and Foucault had in mind. Privacy of the internet users has become the prime mission of present day ICT.
A good example for an information Panopticon is the Chinese internet. Ever since the inception of Commercial internet in China, the government realised that this could lead to contact with the western world and western ideas of democracy and anti-communism. Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China is conducted under a wide variety of laws and administrative regulations. There are no specific laws or regulations which the censorship follows. In accordance with these laws, more than sixty Internet regulations have been made by the People's Republic of China (PRC) government, and censorship systems are vigorously implemented by provincial branches of state-owned Internet Service providers, business companies, and organizations.
-Amit M Warrier
EE09B004
References:-
- Wikipedia
- Discipline and Punish by Foucault.
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