Watchers, Watched, and Watching in the Digital Age: Reconceptualization of Information Technology Monitoring as Complex Action Nets

Despite increasing studies of information technology (IT) monitoring, our understanding how IT-mediates relations between the watcher and watched remains limited in two areas. First, either traditional actor-centric frameworks assuming predefined watcher-watched relationships (e.g., panopticon or synopticon) are adopted monitoring actors removed to focus on data flows dataveillance, assemblages, panspectron). Second, IT research predominantly assumes artifacts be stable, bounded, designed objects, with prescribed uses which provides an oversimplified view actor relationships. To redress these limitations, a conceptual framework veillance applicable variety possible non-IT-mediated is developed. Using framework, we conduct review literature, identifying IT-enabled transformations actors, goals, mechanisms foci develop action net model where theorized as equivocal, distributable open for diverse use, edits contributions by unbounded sets heterogenous characterized goals capabilities. The defined flexible decentralized interconnected web shaped multidirectional relationships, enabling multiple dynamic foci. Cumulative participants organize manipulate net, having impact through influencing dispositions, visibilities inclusion/exclusion self others. makes three important theoretical watchers their We discuss implications avenues future veillance.