
Reversed Surveillance
- Publisher
- Kult Books
- Year
- 2024
- ISBN
- 978-91-987607-6-7
- Specifications
- OTA bound paperback
Eight different cover variants
15 x 20 cm
288 pages and a separate leaflet
Essay by Carolina Semprucci
First edition of 500 copies
Designed by Janne Riikonen
The book is a visualization of invasive surveillance technologies, challenging the prospect of automating crime detection during protests in France. The project reflects on the development and legislation of mass surveillance by offering a case study on how individuals can protect themselves using the very tools with which they are surveilled. The project bases on the idea that since it is unlikely to fully revert surveillance and its effects on society, society should explore ways to reverse its impact. Marcel Top demonstrates the potential of reversing surveillance dynamics to protect the right to protest: by gaining knowledge of accessible surveillance tools, it is possible to ensure police accountability. Top blends traditional documentary research with experimental uses of new technologies, using accessible algorithms and available protest footage to simulate how the use of Algorithmic Video Surveillance can impact protesters.