“Social Networking Sites: A Surveillance Studies Primer” In recognizing social networking sites as sites of sociological concern, this presentation will offer a surveillance studies perspective to this topic. Using Facebook as a case study, a review of key surveillance material as well as preliminary findings will underscore directions for future research. In particular, the popularized and controversial practice of 'Facebook stalking' will serve to illustrate how lateral (or peer-to-peer) surveillance not only supplements, but may also amplify conventional forms of monitoring. Questions: 1) Can practices such as deception or dissimulation on social networking sites be regarded as ways of resisting surveillance? 2) What kind of connections does Facebook enable between peer-based forms of surveillance, and practices such as employee screening?

1. Social Networking Sites: A Surveillance Studies Primer Daniel Trottier – PhD Candidate Department of Sociology Queen’s University, Canada CITASA - Mini-Conference 3.0 Sunday, August 12th, 2007

24. Thank You! Daniel Trottier dan.trottier @ gmail.com