Surveillance, educational technology and the digitalised academy

In October 2021, the Centre for Research into Surveillance and Privacy (CRISP) and the Digital Escalate Project at the University of Stirling co-hosted a one day conference focusing on the digitisation of higher education and its implications for surveillance and privacy. The accelerated adoption of educational technology by universities around the world, especially since the coronavirus pandemic, has raised concerns about whether both students and staff are subject to greater surveillance and compromised privacy as they work and study.

Several fascinating research papers were presented which highlighted staff, student and legal concerns. They explored topics including:

• staff data activism
• personal data governance
• data exploitation by third parties
• personal resistance and coping strategies.

The keynote was delivered by Dr Ben Williamson from the University of Edinburgh who illustrated the heavily financialised and capitalised data ecosystem which now surrounds higher education.

Professor Kirstie Ball, Director of CRISP at the University of St Andrews, spoke on the final discussion panel and addressed the question of workplace surveillance in academia. Other panel members were keynote speaker Dr Ben Williamson, Dr Peter Flett from the University of Stirling and Daren Fitzhenry, Scottish Information Commissioner.

Photo by Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash