Louise

Tweeting thoughts on Violence, Media, and Culture. she/her #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

that can be inadvertently coded into things like predictive policing will be a huge hurdle to jump over before big data can ever be used positively and for good. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

I think a huge takeaway from this book for me is that “big data is fundamentally social”. I’ve never really thought about how much data is affected by our collective social attitudes until reading this book, but it’s clear that working around societal biases and preconceptions-

[Louise @li_so339]

I absolutely agree. As we know, oppression and white supremacy is coded into our laws and I don’t see how it would be any different with proposed concepts like parallel construction. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

It’s never occurred to me that there’s “small data” — basic facts about a person that you can observe — in addition to “big data”. The fact that it can be used in conjunction with big data to justify suspicion is worrying. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

I’m reminded of the “FBI vs. Apple” case in 2015 and the surrounding discussions of who has a right to our data and how it should be used. https://t.co/NrCkgcqTSV

[Louise @li_so339]

I think it’s insightful that Ch. 6 brings up how big data is also a form of capital, because it is. Big data is a HUGE “social resource” as well as a social product as well and I think data as capital is going to be a large component of policing in the near future. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

why do they still do what they do? How is it possible to believe policing is what’s right when cops themselves know and internalize the media/public’s divisive feelings on it? #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

It’s very interesting to me that police are so concerned with the internal surveillance and them and its potential to make them look bad in the eyes of the public. If cops oppose surveillance so deeply because there’s even the *chance* it could make them look controversial-

[Louise @li_so339]

What do you think? Just because you have the tools or technology available to you, should you use them to surveil people with no real established reason to? #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

Ch. 5 starts off with the anecdote of author witnessing the police officer running a random license plate of the car in front of them during a ride alone seemingly for fun or just because the opportunity to do so was there. The cop asks the author if that should be allowed.

[Louise @li_so339]

Not surprising to me that predictive policing has come up in Ch. 4. After the events of 2020, it’s been discussed that the police are certainly detrimental to society as a reactionary institution, but what if the police shifted to being a predictive/preventative force? #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

When reading about the current “datafication” of the already hyper-militarized police, it’s hard not to envision a sci-fi, Minority Report-esque society. It’s certainly very jarring to hear just how much data the police collect. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

It’s definitely disturbing to think that technology like Palantir can locate suspects with “no police contact needed” and be running in the background while officers do other things. However, do you think an argument can be made in defense of this use of tech? #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

These chapters are definitely making me think about how big data is portrayed in media like police procedural shows. In Criminal Minds, Garcia has the right data and info on practically every bad guy the team is looking for on her computer with an easy click of a button. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

I don’t think so. I think overall, hypersurveillance doesn’t benefit society as much as it harms it, and as technology advances, I think it will be even more detrimental in the future. #so339

[Emma @EmmaS80516]

I think it's weird how much information people can get just by using different technologies, especially the police. On one hand, it benefits citizens, but on the other hand, it has/can cause lots of harm. Should police be able to have easy access to citizens through #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

It’s not surprising to me that the police generally oppose big data bc it results in them being more heavily surveilled. I think the “blue wall of silence” probably has a lot to do with this as well. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

When reading about the current “datafication” of the already hyper-militarized police, it’s hard not to envision a sci-fi, Minority Report-esque society. It’s certainly very jarring to hear just how much data the police collect. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

@so339student Exactly! This reminds me of the recent Kim Potter case and how she claims she had mistook her gun for her taser. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

@eel_339 Very much agree! This suggestion for the use of social media to improve policing seems very moot to me - it’s like putting a bandaid on a concussion. It’s an arbitrary fix to a much larger, deeper issue. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

I think it’s interesting how Cheng points out the clear production of and narrative arc followed by the NYPD video detailing the Vassell interaction. Even in the police attempting to be transparent with the public, we still do not have all of the context. #so339

[Louise @li_so339]

I wonder if the police could implement a program like DARE for the internet age in order to use social media for socialization and community engagement? Something that is educational but also seeks to foster a relationship with the public. #so339