::subtitle:
self-surveillance terminal - lets you [and others] keep control of yourself [and others].

::keywords:
video surveillance, delay, distortion, instalation, interaction

::abstract: deconstructing the information space -video-surveillance - :

video surveillance systems, seen from a technical viewpoint, are very complex information environments:

• .sensors: reacting to movement and/or sound, activating / triggering the system
• .cameras: collecting visual information about -activities- in a certain time and space
• .monitors: as an output device, combining signals, pictures and sound for further interpretation
• .video loops: storing / saving the collected material for later use (if needed)
  

:: method / approach / process / project / future:
Looking at different sources about video surveillance such as camera manufactorers, security services, anti-surveillance groups and different security authorities (NSA, CIA, MI5, StaSi, BND, ...) I learnt a lot about the way security- and surveillance systems work. The main effect they have seems to come from their pure existance - and it seems to be more the ‘feeling of security’ than ‘real security’.

• In surveys, people claimed to feel safeer with video surveillance - without knowing if and where surveillance cameras were placed.
• Statistics and studies on the other hand show that cctv-systems can’t really help neither against crime nor against the fear of crime.
• Instead, so called ‘illegal actions’ and ‘inappropriate behaviour’ may be decreased with the help of cctv-systems.
  

My approach was to make an interactive installation wich quotes different aspects of video surveillance in public spaces, plays with them, underlines and bends them - and makes them obvious and absurd.

The user of the v. c.c.T.V. is beeing watched while watching others.But just like in ‘real’ cctv-systems, the picture is in first place not seen by any human beeing, but instead kept by the system for later usage.

When shown, the picture is then distorted by the movements of the watching user. A blured field is added to the picture - the ‘suspect’ on the screen is ‘anonymized’ by the user’s movements in front of the camera.
In a later edition, the stand-alone-box will be connected to other indentical boxes via ftp or tcp/ip. Additionally, the box will not only monitor, record, store, distort and display pictures but also sound.

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