Sociology : Social Media and Panopticon

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Contemporary Society
Name of the Student:
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Author Note

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SOCIAL MEDIA AND PANOPTICON
Michel Foucault had developed the concept of Panopticism from the idea of Panopticon,
as put forward by Jeremy Bentham. Foucault borrowed the idea to construct a model for disciple
of what exists in the modern system. Foucault strongly advocated freedom for all people and that
reaction of people, to situations differ vastly. He also believed that knowledge was a form of
power which could also be gained. The basic idea behind Panopticon is to keep the inmates
under a surveillance, on which there will be conformity to power (Caluya, 2010). He viewed this
almost as an incarceration which is cruel and cage like. Social media in the digital modern world
operate in the same manner. Foucault passed away before the internet emerged as an addictive
force but it is still very relevant in the modern world due to the advent of social media and digital
platforms.
According to Foucault, power permeates through the society and makes people conform
to the framework with or without their knowledge (Kelsey & Bennett, 2014). He viewed the
regulation and surveillance to be operating in an architectural design, which was proposed by
Jeremy Bentham for prisons and asylums in mid nineteenth century (McKinlay & Starkey,
1998). The framework of Panopticon is powerful which constantly observes the subjects from a
vantage point, which is often unknown by the subjects themselves. The mechanism to observe
the subjects were only to control them. Thus, Foucault used the concept to describe the system of
control which is carried out in a disciplinary situation (Caluya, 2010). The intention is to achieve
docility of the subjects and compliance to norms and codes of conduct through discipline.
Foucault identified the dangers associated with such a framework as individuals were carefully
accorded to it. The power relations associated with such a structure is that people are aware that

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SOCIAL MEDIA AND PANOPTICON
they are being watched by the big other (Caluya, 2010). This is very much applicable in the
world today as people live within a virtual panopticon, that is the world of social media.
The mechanism of control is achieved with the help of constant observation. The process
is internalized by the subject’s knowledge of surveillance in a disciplinary situation. Foucault has
been one of the most prominent theoretical inspiration for his approaches, however, he is also
relevant outside theoretical framework as well. The world has evolved over time and the work is
quite different from the world which was lived by Foucault himself. However, the digital society
has been revolutionary in terms of the dynamics of social networking (Waycott, Thompson,
Sheard & Clerehan, 2017). The prison tower concept on which the theory of Foucault was
developed has evolved into new technologies and digital spaces (Caluya, 2010). Everything that
is posted by people on social media is monitored and data are extracted. Social media has
emerged as a force which plays a great role in the process of identity formation. The perspectives
can be applied to assess how social media functions. People share their personal information and
thoughts on social media. This can be viewed as if they are like the actors on stage while they are
being watched by a greater audience (Caluya, 2010). The idea behind such an expression on a
public forum is to exchange ideas and gain acceptance through pleasing the people with whom
the information are shared. The act is performative as it is become the basic culture of internet.
Being constantly visible and has its own detriments such as the privacy is lost (Kandias,
Mitrou, Mitrou & Gritzalis, 2013). Their actions and behaviors are monitored by the big other
like a panapticon. The users on social media are aware that they are being watched and judged by
the viewers. There panapticon in such a virtual space is devoid of physical surveillance whereas,
the inmates are conscious about their permanent visibility (Kandias, Mitrou, Mitrou & Gritzalis,
2013). People, on sharing their thoughts and concern subject themselves to the virtual