Individual Experiences of Surveillance: Attitudes towards Camera Surveillance in Slovakia

Abstract

After the fall of the communist regime, Slovakia saw the introduction and subsequent rapid growth of camera surveillance, particularly around the turn of the millennium. These developments occurred in a specific political, cultural, and historical context, which affects perceptions of and reactions to surveillance by individual citizens. The post-communist context is characterised by relatively low levels of resistance to the introduction of various technological surveillance mechanisms, including the rapid introduction of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) in public spaces. However, individuals who are under surveillance (surveilled subjects) are not passive. They are aware of the surveillance and its mechanisms, they interact with the surveillance devices, and they self-manage their digital image in various surveillance contexts. Using semi-structured qualitative interviews this article examines experiences of and individual attitudes towards the camera surveillance of Slovak citizens against the wider backdrop of the characteristics of post-communist surveillance culture. It is based on an analysis of individual stories of attitudes towards and personal experiences with CCTV in private, semi-private, and public places. The analysis of individual-level interactions reveals that citizens are aware of the presence of cameras and react to them in various ways, ranging from compliance and various strategies of negotiation with surveillance systems right up to some forms of resistance.

Conceptions of Privacy in the Digital Era: Perceptions of Slovak Citizens

“…As previous research has suggested, this does not mean that the acceptance of these technologies is universal and unconditional (Kovanič 2020).…”

“…Three respondents also mentioned other potential positive consequences of cameras, such as security in and around apartment blocks and services (such as those providing information about traffic). A low level of privacy concern was connected with trust in the effectiveness of cameras, which led to their higher acceptance (Kovanič 2020). If there was any concern about CCTV in public spaces, it did not relate to the kind of surveillance but rather its extent: one respondent described a situation where there were too many cameras as "depressing" (R4, FG3).…”

Safety in Cameras? – An Exploratory Study of the Ottawa Public Surveillance (CCTV) Project

“…One of the primary characteristics of some contemporary surveillance technology such as CCTV is its mass character (Kovanič 2020), which is evidenced by the continuously expanding and prolific presence of open-street camera surveillance systems across the globe. According to Norris & Armstrong (1997;, mass surveillance is unlike targeted, personalized surveillance as it is often automated, involuntary, nondiscriminatory, and routinized.…”

“…According to Norris & Armstrong (1997;, mass surveillance is unlike targeted, personalized surveillance as it is often automated, involuntary, nondiscriminatory, and routinized. CCTV camera surveillance falls into the category of mass surveillance as it targets all individuals who move within its range of coverage (Kovanič 2020); however, targeting all people within the gaze does not mean that individuals will be treated equally 12 . argues that this rise of cameras has helped to transform western societies into surveillance societies, as visual surveillance technologies such as CCTV have important implications for social relations and modes of governance.…”

“…Furthermore, Lyon (2007) states that "the persons surveilled are not merely subject to surveillance but subjects of surveillance" (p.159), meaning that if people are aware they are being surveilled, they are no longer passive. Awareness of surveillance changes how an individual reacts; there can be new concerns, expectations, or fears (Foucault 1979;Kovanič 2020). Awareness of surveillance can determine whether criminal activity is deterred in the surveilled gaze.…”