Being Watched by Tv: Surveillance at Home

Abstract

The Television (TV) that became a ubiquitous part of households in many parts of the World since World War II has been witnessing a significant transformation since the turn of the Twenty-First Century. Starting in the early 2000s, the TV has morphed in many ways such as in the size and quality of picture it delivers, the kind of content it can offer, and the multiple ways in which it can be used. Yet, in spite of these changes, it has been the case that the TV has remained a site to consume narratives. It is only in the past few years, with the advent of the "smart" TV has the tool been connected to the Internet and can gather information about the viewer in front of the TV instrument. In this essay I argue that the TV, originally the conduit for offering passive narratives to the audience, is transforming into a tool that can watch over the audience and construct a dynamic narrative of the audience, thus operating as tool for surveillance.