Assignment #J — Surveillance and Authoritarianism (or, Social-Media and Politics): What’s the Connection?

Spend at least an hour or two finding and reading one or more news articles or academic papers (you choose the source) responsive to either (or both) of the following questions:
  1. How did modern surveillance (and its associates, big data and social media) influence the 2016 presidential election?
  2. What is the relationship between modern surveillance (and its associates, big data and social media) and authoritarianism/populism?
Try your best to find an interesting and insightful reading(s). As you read, keep Foucault’s insight in mind—that surveillance is part of an apparatus of control. When you’re finished with your reading, upload to Canvas a summary of it ( #J). Make sure to include a citation to each source you read (title, author, venue, date, URL). Come prepared to discuss what you read in class.