Watching the Watchers: Digital Panopticism in the Age of Algorithmic Culture

Title

Watching the Watchers: Digital Panopticism in the Age of Algorithmic Culture

Creator

Saxena, Amol Aanand; Sehgal, Charu; Babita

Description

The chapter deals with the ideology of Digital Panopticism as basically one of the major features of the algorithmic culture where power is exercised through the routine surveillance, data extraction, and predictive analytics. Using Michel Foucaults idea of the Panopticon as a starting point, the authors suggest that digital systems - for example, social media and algorithmic governance - are control structures that are spread out and therefore it is difficult to distinguish the zones where one is being observed and the zones where one is participating. The chapter links the concept of Digital Panopticism with the theories of the radical surveillance and digital capitalism and also examining the impact of the phenomena on subjectivity, autonomy, and behavior. The authors end the chapter by looking at moral theories and resistance movements to facilitate openness, taking responsibility, and the peoples control in the age of digital technology. 2026 by IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved.

Source

Digital Ideologies in the Age of Algorithmic Culture;pp.151-179

Date

01-01-2026

Publisher

IGI Global

Coverage

Saxena A.A., Christ University, Bangalore, India; Sehgal C., Christ University, Bangalore, India; Babita, Christ University, Bangalore, India

Rights

Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library

Relation

ISBN: 979-833734533-8; 979-833734531-4;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Book chapter

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4531-4.ch005

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105036787783?origin=resultslist