Panoptic Surveillance and the iCloud Systems - Essay Example

“Panoptic” Surveillance and the iCloud Systems With the increased application of “panoptic” surveillance in learning and working environments, the iCloud systems, on another hand, have become of the most efficient systems that protect devices from theft and unauthorized access to stored data. The iCloud not only protects mobile devices from theft due to the mechanisms used in the systems, but also relies on the power of seeing (panopticism). Panopticism is one of the famous concepts of Michel Foucault (Foucault and Sheridan 23). The iCloud is a system developed by Apple Inc. in order to provide a variety of services to consumers using the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and PC across the world. Apple Inc. is a company that manufactures electronics such as computers, mobile devices, as well as, developing software programs (Trautschold, Rene and Mazo 207). The iCloud is a system with features, which allow sharing of information, protection from device thefts, back up data services and more. The system was developed to curb the problem of theft and hacking in the cloud. The system has so far proved its efficiency due to the mechanical systems applied, but, the power of seeing has also contributed to its success. Michel Foucault, a French philosopher, argues in his book, Discipline and Punish, that, the effectiveness of surveillance systems does not rely on mechanisms used, but, rely on the fear and doubts of the subjects towards the authority and the systems (Foucault 34). In the case, of the iCloud system, therefore, one can argue that thieves and hackers tend to reduce their acts due to fear of invasion of privacy that would follow if they are caught up when performing those acts. In other words, mobile thieves will not go on grabbing people their iPads, iPhones and more because they fear to be caught up due to the existence of the iCloud systems. The purpose of this study is to explore the exact ways in which panoptic surveillance contribute to the effectiveness of the iCloud systems. Also, Foucault’s ideas will be developed in order to make them fit in many areas of applications, for example, in offices, classrooms etcetera. As stated earlier, iCloud serves three major purposes to the Apple consumers. First, consumers using the iCloud applications can send videos and snapshots to their friends and family from the remote locations. Additionally, they can send alerts based on the specific locations to their families in case of anything, for example, accidents, attacks or demonstrations. They can report when they arrive home or in their offices. For security concerns, consumers use the iCloud for surveillance against any attacks. Surveillance is possible because the Apple information systems locate and track down the attackers and provide information to the police for further investigations (Trautschold, Rene and Mazo 205). In the United States today, the police have increasingly used the information provided by the iCloud systems in searching for evidence of crimes as well as tracking down thieves and attackers. With the aid of other monitoring systems, the iCloud have delivered lots of success in providing information about the attackers (Zereik 345). However, the power of seeing could have also contributed to the success, as well. Foucault argues that the action of seeing has a great power in curbing crime (Kroker and Marilouise 123). For instance, thieves attempting to steal from a businessman in the streets might stop that act if they see him using an iPad, iPod Touch or an iPhone. Although such cases are not common, some thieves might fear to be noticed or litigated before performing such activities. Most attackers fear the monitoring systems and, therefore, remain reluctant to perform various activities such as raping, stealing or hijacking. It is important to note that the iCloud is part of the surveillance system. Currently, the use of the iCloud has scared many people from engaging in bad behaviours. The iCloud systems can contribute to privacy intrusions in the indirect ways. Some thieves and attackers tend to be reluctant in stealing or performing other bad behaviours due to fear of been associated with crime. This brings out the idea of intrusion of privacy as described by Michel Foucault. He argues that one can avoid misconducts if the authority has intruded his/her privacy in direct or indirect ways (Foucault and Sheridan 25). Another significant contribution of the iCloud system is the reduction of stealing of computers and mobile devices. Consumers who misplace their devices can use the iCloud in locating it or preventing other people from using it. In details, when one loses a device, he/she is guaranteed of getting it back because the thieves cannot turn off the phone without the owner’s password provided by Apple Inc. Similarly, if a device goes missing one can use the iCloud features such as a map in locating its position, whether in the office or at home. In this case, the mechanisms applied in the iCloud protect devices from theft. However, “panoptic” surveillance is also effective in securing the devices from theft. People might not tamper with any lost device because they fear to be tracked down or litigation in a court of law due to theft. One should note that no one would like to be associated with possession of such devices because people fear to be punished by the police, as well. Most people avoid stealing such devices in order to maintain high integrity and positive moral values. For example, in offices, one might not take somebody’s device because they fear to be identified as thieves even if they serve high positions. Therefore, people have used the iCloud as panoptic surveillance even to other important documents. In Foucault theory, the prisoners avoid performing bad behaviours because of fear of being identified by the soldier who stands at the top of the tower. He argues that the soldiers might as well be at the annex of the middle tower and maintain order amongst the prisoners locked in the cells (Foucault 36). It, therefore, means that after sometimes the iCloud systems can also be withdrawn and the devices would remain protected from theft. The big problem with the Foucault theory of panopticism is that, it terms the authority or the surveillance as totally ineffective. Additionally, he does not state the concept of time in application of panoptic surveillance; instead, he suggests that such surveillance is effective because it intrudes the privacy of the subjects resulting to fear and doubts (Brunon-Ernst 42). Foucault theory, therefore, should be developed in order to appreciate that not all monitoring systems or authority figures are inefficient. One cannot conclude that iCloud systems are totally ineffective in securing people’s devices from theft. This is because panoptic surveillance is only applicable after long periods after the inception of the iCloud systems or authority figures in other contexts such as the workplace. The iCloud system provides data back-up services to the users when they connect their devices to a cellular data connection. If the users have important information they can, therefore, seek for back-up in case their devices are lost or have been hacked using malicious software (Feiler 95). Hacking remains one of the most dangerous cybercrimes in the world today. Companies and individuals lose data or incur costs in repairing their devices due to hacking. The use of the iCloud has been used to protect data stored in the computers from unauthorized access, theft or destruction. After a period, the protection of data in computers has also not only been made efficient by the systems employed, but also, by the panoptic surveillance systems. Once the hackers identify that the data stolen can be retrieved from the electronics’ companies, they end up stopping from performing such acts. Cybercriminals also fear to be identified by the security IT experts and, therefore, the iCloud system invades their privacies to some extent, preventing them from committing cybercrimes. Those people who access data without being authorized by the owner of the device can also be outdone by the iCloud system (Feiler 96). This is because of the panoptic surveillance would make them fear to be known by the owner or being litigated for their bad behaviours (Kaplan 78). In relation to Foucault theory of panopticism, the iCloud system operations are facilitated well when people fear to be identified because of theft, hacking and other crimes. In summary, the iCloud proves how the power of seeing can be effective in deterring bad behaviours as postulated by Michel Foucault in his theory of panopticism (Brunon-Ernst 45). The theory is, however, very solid and, therefore, should be developed to account for the effectiveness of the authority figures and other surveillance systems other than the panoptic ones. Work Cited Brunon-Ernst, Anne. Beyond Foucault: New Perspectives on Benthams Panopticon. Farnham: Ashgate, 2012. Print. Feiler, Jesse. Learning Icloud Data Management: A Hands-on Guide to Structuring Data for Ios and Os X. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Addison-Wesley, 2014. Print. Foucault, Michel, and Sheridan, Alan. Discipline and Punishment: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage, 2012. Print. Foucault, Michel. Panopticism. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1979. Print. Kaplan, David. Readings in the Philosophy of Technology. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2009. Print. Kroker, Arthur, and Marilouise, Kroker. Critical Digital Studies: A Reader. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. Print. Trautschold, Martin, Rene Ritchie, and Mazo, Gary. Ipod Touch Made Simple: Ios 5 Edition. Berkeley, Calif.: Apress, 2012. Print. Zureik, Elia. Surveillance, Privacy, and the Globalization of Personal Information: International Comparisons. Montréal [Québec: McGill-Queens University Press, 2010. Print. Read More