Surveillance is the careful watching of people, places, or activities, usually for security or information. It can be done with cameras, computers, or even people observing.
From French 'surveillance' meaning 'watching over', from 'surveiller' (to watch), from 'sur-' (over) and 'veiller' (to watch, stay awake), related to Latin 'vigil' (awake).
Modern surveillance doesn’t just mean cameras on walls; your phone, apps, and online clicks can all be watched and recorded. In a way, we now live in a world where we help build our own surveillance just by using technology.
Surveillance practices have often targeted women and gender minorities differently, including policing of women’s behavior and appearance and monitoring of reproductive and domestic spaces. Discussions of surveillance sometimes overlook these gendered impacts.
When discussing surveillance, note how it can affect different genders and communities unevenly, and avoid normalizing intrusive monitoring of private life.
["monitoring","observation","watching (context-dependent)"]
Acknowledge women activists, scholars, and journalists who have exposed discriminatory surveillance practices and advocated for privacy rights.
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