Reinventing Panopticon: Social Media

Image 1: Facebook Panopticon (Smith, 2017).

Theories of power argue that power is 'everywhere', it is both diffuse and embodied (LearnJCU, 2017). "In many ways, Facebook is reminiscent of the panopticon, a prison designed by English theorist Bentham in 1785." (Tom, 2010). In modern society for the millennials, some would say the old fashion 'Panopticon' has been reinvented through what we call today as 'Social Media Network'. Furthermore, the use of power and disempowerment matters to network, in which power was the main topic of that week. The prime example used in the lecture was the panopticon prison.

In relation to the social network, I have conducted my research analysis for my assessment between week 3 and week 6 is Facebook. During the first week of joining Facebook, it was clear to understand that you are able to limit whom you can be friends with, a power over whom shall see a status update on the account. But in contrary, after posting an update, I found the experience of disempowerment. Once it is posted, it is beyond the power of the beholder of where the post will end up and how it could be used by a third-party.

Resources may be misused, incompetently applied, mobilised for all the wrong reasons and, perhaps worst of all, simply wasted by misguided yet otherwise well-meaning bunch of individuals (Allen, 2003). Over the course of years with Facebook, power of the beholder is an understatement in my opinion. Although, it is a given fact that social media has a positive and negative impact in society. The positivity of Facebook outweighs the negative impact, by far. It is relatable to another blog "Social Media is regarded as the worst and best thing to have ever been created for mankind." (Smith, 2017) on theodysseyonline.com. This could be further analysed by how the general society's perspective is over Social Media. The older generation would view it as an immense form of evil by the panopticon view. While others would use it as a tool of enlightened information to the mass majority. Both views are equal in discussion, and are not wrong answers.

For Foucault, power is not an essentially negative force, but can also enable things to happen (Power, 2003). This can be expanded on the productivity Facebook or Social Media in general has to offer without having to feel like you are being observed or surveyed by the NSA or Government agencies. Throughout the course of history and modern society, information through the Governments perspective is a 'fundamental key' in order to gain knowledge or insights of their own people. As knowledge is a form of 'power' or 'control' over society. This is the main reason why 'Social Media' is reinventing panopticon. But, in a worldwide scale as the planet is the prison and Social Media is the guard tower monitoring everyone. Thus, the reason some would feel anxious to post anything through social media as they are afraid they are being monitored by Government agencies making them feel like as though they are inside a panopticon prison. 





Reference:

LearnJCU. (2017). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 2: Power. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file?cmd=view&content_id=_2840408_1&course_id=_84764_1&framesetWrapped=true

Tom, E. (2010). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 2: Power. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file?cmd=view&content_id=_2840408_1&course_id=_84764_1&framesetWrapped=true

Allen, J. (2003). Lost geographies of power. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Power. (2003). In J. Lechte, Key contemporary concepts. London, UK: Sage UK. Retrieved from https://elibrary.jcu.edu.au/login url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sageukcc/power/0?institutionId=429

Smith, C. (2017). Panopticon Social Media. [Image]. Received from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/panopticon-social-media

Smith, C. (2017). Panopticon Social Media. Received from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/panopticon-social-media