Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/77347
Title: Social representations of mass surveillance among University students
Authors: Vella, Jarrod (2020)
Keywords: Electronic surveillance -- Malta
Social representations -- Malta
University students -- Malta -- Attitudes
Issue Date: 2020
Citation: Vella, J. (2020). Social representations of mass surveillance among University students (Bachelor's dissertation).
Abstract: Mass Surveillance is made up of networks of personal information and is a restructuring of traditional, targeted surveillance into large-scale surveillance (Haggerty & Erickson, 2000; Bigo et al., 2013). Mass surveillance is a social phenomenon, on which individuals and collectives form their own lay opinions. This means that mass surveillance can be studied using a social representations approach, which looks at meaning-making in societies vis-à-vis the public’s understanding of social objects. This current research investigated the social representations of mass surveillance among students at the University of Malta. A total of six undergraduate students took part in the study. The sample consisted of an equal number of males and females, who were between 20 and 24 years of age. This research employed a qualitative methodology where the data was collected using one-to-one, face-to-face interviews. The research questions concerned: (a) the participants’ views on mass surveillance, (b) their views on privacy and security issues, and (c) whether participants perceived changes in their behaviour which they attributed to mass surveillance. The data gathered was analysed using thematic analysis– this involved coding and understanding the themes present in the data. The thematic analysis results showed that the participants described mass surveillance using words such as “tracking” and attributed to mass surveillance the ability to “watch”. The participants considered targeted adverts on the internet as evidence of mass surveillance and talked about mass surveillance in the context of security. The participants also mentioned issues of privacy and security in some detail. Fundamentally, results pointed toward an interobjective understanding among the participants, that surveillance should be more traditional and thus more targeted. There was also some tension in the social representation of mass surveillance, whereby some participants saw mass surveillance as a necessary evil, and others thought of it is a useful but imperfect tool. Participants also mentioned that, in general, they do not change their behaviour because of the presence of mass surveillance. Yet, participants still gave examples of behaviour change in other people in a comprehensive manner, as opposed to describing their personal experiences vis-à-vis behaviour change. The findings were discussed in terms of views of the participants, issues of privacy and security, change in behaviour, and in terms of anchoring and objectification processes.
Description: B.A.(HONS)CRIMINOLOGY
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/77347
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - FacSoW - 2020
Dissertations - FacSoWCri - 2020

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