World Sousveillance Day : http://wearcam.org/wsd.htm
("sousveillance" is inverse surveillance : accountability from below)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
An international coalition that includes artists, scientists,
engineers, scholars, and others is declaring December 24, to be "World
Sousveillance Day".
THE SHOT SEEN AROUND THE WORLD :
At noon on Tuesday, December 24, 2002, ordinary people all over the
world will call into question the growing and dehumanizing effects of
increased video surveillance, automated face recognition, and
Covernment (Corporate+Government) tracking in public places, as well
as private places.
Often Covernment officials that use video surveillance try to prohibit
others from taking pictures or video within their establishments or
regimes, but on this day, many people will photograph these officials,
their establishments, and their security systems.
As high noon sweeps past various time zones, the shot heard around the
world will be that of clicking cameras.
Rather than protesting by carrying signs, or by marching, citizens
will protest by going on shooting sprees. Armed with their own
photographic or videographic cameras and recording devices, ordinary
citizens will dish out some accountability.
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE ?
All you need to do is bring a camera --- any camera (even a fake or
broken camera, or one with an empty film magazine) --- to a place
where video surveillance is used.
HOW WILL I KNOW WHO I SHOULD SHOOT ?
Taking pictures of the surveillance cameras will cause models to
appear very quickly for you to photograph. When you point your
camera at their cameras, the officials watching their television
monitors will very quickly dispatch the models for you to shoot.
This is a universal phenomenon that happens in nearly any large
organization where video surveillance is used. Models often carry
two—way radios and wear navy blue uniforms with special badges.
Why December 24th ?
This is a day when security forces are very busy watching for
shoplifters, and it is also a time when folks are reflecting on the
year’s activity and it’s something to do rather than merely buy
something. For more info, see http://wearcam.org/wsd.htm
