News Archive: 2021

David Lyon retires from Queen's; remains P.I. of Big Data Surveillance

The Surveillance Studies Centre wishes to announce that David Lyon retired from Queen’s University on June 30 2021. Lyon was appointed at Queen’s University in 1991 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, and later promoted to Full Professor in 1994. He is cross-appointed to the Faculty of Law, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada,...

Welcome Back to Dr. Alana Saulnier!

The Surveillance Studies Centre is delighted to announce that from July 1, Alana Saulnier (re)joins the SSC, as an Assistant Professor in the Sociology Department. She will work alongside Dr. David Murakami Wood.

Alana Saulnier completed her PhD in sociology from Queen's University in 2016, and both David Lyon and David Murakami Wood are pleased to welcome her back...

Minding the FLoCs: Google's Marketing Moves, AI, Privacy and the Data Commons

By David Eliot and David Murakami Wood, Centre for International Governance Innovataion (CIGI) , 20 May 2021 This piece examines Google's transition to being a primarily AI-centred company, and what it means for people and governments, particularly in Canada.

Read more.

Why we need to seriously reconsider COVID-19 vaccination passports

By Tommy Cooke and Benjamin Muller, The Conversation , May 19, 2021 Vaccine passports may soon be required for travelling amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Like biometrics, they’ll likely become a permanent part of our daily lives — and there’s barely been any debate about them.

Read the article here.

Virtual Conference: "A Neurotech Future: Ethical, Legal and Policy Perspectives"

The Surveillance Studies Centre is proud to announce our upcoming multi-disciplinary conference ‘A Neurotech Future: Ethical, Legal and Policy Perspectives’, co-organized with the Center for Neuroscience Studies and Faculty of Law at Queen’s University.

This virtual, inter-disciplinary conference will take place on April 22nd and 23rd, 2021, and will bring together academics from fields such as neuroscience, surveillance...

David Murakami Wood on "Future Tense"

David Murakami Wood on "Future Tense" ABC Radio National in Australia, talking about "The myths and realities around the rise of Chinese tech".

Listen here

Google's AI Advertising and Privacy

"Google’s AI advertising revolution: More privacy, but problems remain"

By David Murakami Wood and David Eliot, The Conversation , March 15, 2021

Based on research by MA student, David Eliot, this short explainer outlines the changes Google is making to adtech, and why we should care.

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David Murakami Wood on Platform Capitalism

"Platform Capitalism, Empire and Authoritarianism: Is There a Way Out?"

By David Murakami Wood, Centre for International Governance Innovataion ( CIGI) , Series on Platform Governance, Surveillance and Privacy, March 15, 2021

The world will face more widespread and intensified surveillance, but this time it could be framed as something for our own good, for the good...

David Lyon speaking on Pandemic Surveillance

David Lyon giving a talk in the Bradford Alumni Speakers Series on "Pandemic surveillance: from hasty responses to data justice" Tuesday 16 March, 18:00-19:00 GMT, Online

More info here

Abstract Many of the massive, global surveillance responses to the Covid-19 pandemic have been developed without sufficient thought, or sufficient reflection on previous events—like 9/11—that also...

New Podcast on Body Worn Cameras

CRSP has posted a new podcast episode about body worn cameras with contributors Drs. Alana Saulnier, Bryce Newell, Cynthia Lum, and Michael White and the host, Avery Moore Kloss, Laurier’s Podcaster-in-Residence.

Listed to the podcast here

Body-Worn Cameras: what we know and where to go February 18th, 2021 Episode Summary In this podcast, researchers...