Imustwrite

Control of personal ICTs

I have recently written a research proposal to study the control of use of personal Information and Communication Technologies (pICTs), based on my interest in how society domesticates new techologies, that is, integrates them into social and institutional life. It also relates to my comparision of cigarettes and mobile phones. The study, if it gets funded, will cover cameras, phones, music players, computers and other personal technologies that we carry into public and private places, and are often seen as challenging or disturbing public order, or threatening in some way the activities of the place controllers. Thus we see phones banned in schools, filling stations, planes, cinemas, parts of airports etc, and cameras from schools, shops, anywhere with security concerns etc. Laptop internet connection is often restricted in offices, lecture theatres and other private places. However there is far from even policy, some places will encourage pICT use, others ban it, others will look for technical solutions. I hope to look at 2 cases. 1 the case of cinemas, where you get a fine in NYC, your phone is jammed in Paris, or you are shown a funny film in London. 2. The case of schools banning picture phones. One of the coutcomes will be to look at how the technology itself is shaped by social concerns, such as the Korean government insisting that camera phones make a loud noise when. There is a continual stream of artciles inthe press about control of pICTs, such as this summer the FCC allowing mobile phones to be used on planes, and the FAA deciding not to allow them. This week's New Scientist has an article on a technology that will shine a bright light at your camera phone if you try to take a picture of a protected item. I will put up the archive of the articles I have found over the last 2 years giving examples of this phenomenon. The Proposal can be read here. Please send me any links or comments.

posted by james @ 16:02