At noon on Monday, December 24, 2001, 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… Rather
than protesting by carrying signs, or by marching,
citizens will protest by going on shooting sprees.
An international coalition that includes artists,
scientists, engineers, scholars, and others is
declaring December 24, to be “World Subjectrights Day.”
THE SHOT SEEN AROUND THE WORLD
At noon on Monday, December 24, 2001, 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, and shielded with
masks or disguises, ordinary citizens will dish
out some accountability while remaining anonymous
to the massive proliferation of face tracking
surveillance.
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?
All you need to do is bring a disguise and a
camera — any camera (even a fake or maybe a 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, or
even just wearing a disguise, 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.
Most will be eager to pose close to your camera,
especially the hand models:
They will reach out to you. They want to get close
to you. They will crave the glamour of your
camera. They will reach out and touch you, or
place their hands over your camera lens so you can
get a closup picture of their photogenic fingerprints.
WHY DECEMBER 24th?
This is a day when police are very busy watching
for shoplifters, phone lines are very clogged, and
communication is congested.
It is a time also when folks are reflecting on the
year’s activity and World Subjectright Day will be
something for people to think about over the
holidays.
RATIONALE
When we ask why we are under video surveillance,
we are told by the Covernment that “only
criminals are afraid of cameras”, or we are
asked “why are you so paranoid”. Now is
the time to allow the Covernment to define itself.
[ also see related items:
Cameras scanned fans for criminals
– http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1122
Philly Cops Eyed GOP Protesters
– http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=550
New York Surveillance Camera Players
– http://www.notbored.org/the-scp.html ]
Author: World Subjectright Foundation
News Service: Viviane Lerner ( vlerner@interpac.net )
Leave a Reply