Photography in the Age of Surveillance: Ethics and the Photographer’s Responsibility

Authors : Ceyiz Makal Fairclough

Pages : 30-45

Doi:10.32739/etkilesim.2025.8.15.282

View : 32 | Download : 24

Publication Date : 2025-04-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This paper examines the ethical dimensions of photographic practices in the context of pervasive surveillance, and the ways in which photography both reinforces and challenges the pervasive surveillance culture that defines modern society. It addresses key issues of privacy, ethics and the limits of photographic practice, particularly in relation to the potential for exploitation and voyeurism. With technological advances accelerating the scope of surveillance - exemplified by the ubiquitous presence of CCTV cameras and data tracking algorithms - surveillance has become deeply embedded in everyday life, leading to what is increasingly referred to as a \\\'surveillance culture\\\'. In this environment, individuals are both subjects and objects of surveillance. Photography, both as a documenting tool and an art form, plays a central role in this dynamic. The widespread use of digital technologies has made photographers complicit in the spread of surveillance, as images are often distributed without consent, repurposed for unintended purposes, or even exploited for commercial gain. This paper explores how certain photographers, including Hasan Elahi and Trevor Paglen, have responded to the dominance of surveillance culture by using their work to critique and resist its normalisation. Through an analysis of their practices, this study demonstrates how photography can function as a means of interrogating and destabilising the power structures inherent in surveillance systems. The paper concludes by reflecting on the moral responsibilities of contemporary photographers, emphasising the need for heightened awareness of privacy concerns in an era where anonymity is increasingly scarce and valuable. Ultimately, it highlights the ethical challenges photographers face in navigating the tension between creative freedom and the imperatives of privacy and consent in a surveillance-driven world.
Keywords : photography, surveillance culture, ethics, voyeurism, privacy