6.17 | case|study : GOOGLE GLASS

'Welcome to a world behind GLASS' reads the tag line for GOOGLE'S new money spinner, the GOOGLE GLASS.  In short, a computer in your glasses.  It's with you 24/7. Gives you directions. Reads your messages. Sees the world through your eyes.  We already live in a world where digital presence is massively monitored,  now imagine having that digital presence hanging off your face.  A novelty now, how long before this technology is utilised by advertisers and political parties?  How long before people start recording what you see?  Where you go? What you say and to whom you say it? Future predictions tells us that these will take hold.  These, or technologies like these, will replace mobile phones.  This will happen.  Your life will be recorded right before your eyes.  And someone will inevitably be watching.  Making sure you play by their rules. Everywhere you go. 

artist|study : RACHEL GOODYEAR

RACHEL GOOYEAR is an illustrator who uses characters and narrative to create works that are unsettling and emotive.  Although very different from the work that I want to make, I like the way she is able to create a story within each piece of work, simply and effectively.  I would like my work to have a similar sense of story to it.

6.9 | case|study : INTERNET RESTRICTIONS

In 2013, David Cameron (Conservative PM) intends to police the internet in a manner never seen before in Britain.  His (misguided and frankly deluded) intentions are to introduce an 'opt-out' automatic filter on all internet browsing.  Besides being implausibly and practically ridiculous, the scheme harbours a sinister threat to not only liberty whilst on the internet, but civil liberties all together.  Not only will pornography be on the filter list, but other content such as alcohol, smoking and even web forums.  Isn't banning web forums the first step to infringing free speech?  Open opinion?  What's next?  Restrictions upon political sites?  Restrictions on informed political debate?  How long before the information left available for public access is that which is directly decided upon by the political establishment?  It seems that the choices of the everyday man are becoming narrower by the day.  Are we on the road to a state of restrictions from which we can't ever escape?

6.6 | case|study : PRISM

PRISM is a US Government codename for data collection know by the SIGAD US-984XN.  It was established in 2007 by the NSA, during the Bush administration, but its existence wasn't made publicly aware until June 6 2013, when leaked by EDWARD SNOWDEN.  The organisation operates under the supervision of FISA (The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act), but was described by SNOWDEN  as using 'criminal' and 'dangerous' activities.  PRISM is 'the number one source of raw intelligence for the NSA  analytic reports, accounting for 91% of the NSA's internet traffic.'  The leak of PRISM's existence came a day after the revelation that the FISA had begun the process to order VERIZON communications to turn over logs tracking all of its customers telephone calls on a daily basis.  PRISM massively invades and inhibits the personal freedoms of people all over the globe, and is a perfect example of how Governments are tightening their control of citizens, whether guilty of any crime or not.  This orginisation embodies everything that a revolutionary might be fighting against.

6.5 | case|study : EDWARD SNOWDEN

A hero of sorts.  A true modern revolutionary.  EDWARD SNOWDEN is the former CIA computer specialist who leaked details of American and British surveillance operations to the press, and brought the existence of PRISM into the public consciousness.  He revealed to the world the extent of Government control, snooping, and the insidious and surreptitious way in which public freedom and civil liberty was being destroyed.  By former president Jimmy Carter he has been heralded as a hero, whilst the American Officials have branded him, unsurprisingly, a traitor.  His life is now to be one spent in exile, but his contribution to civil liberty has been nothing short of inspirational.  SNOWDEN's release of NSA material has been called the most significant in US history.  A poster boy for any budding revolutionary.  The kind of guy a resistance movement might need.