Privacy Lust Symposium - 2nd June 2016
On the 2nd June as part of the In.Flux degree show at LSBU I held a symposium to generate further discussion around the project that I had been developing since January of this year.
I really enjoyed hearing each speaker talk about their subjects and talk about their experiences with technology, dating sites and thoughts on where all of this information goes. Unfortunately Joy was not able to join us for this event, however in her absence I read out her essay Ode to Tinder to the group.
Myself giving an introduction to the speakers.
Katrina Sluis - She gave a presentation where she discussed; exposure on the internet, where our data and images are stored/collected, anonymity in the age of Facebook transparency, bots, facial recognition, new rebellions against internet surveillance. Her presentation opened up the context for the project of where our carefully curated Tinder profiles sit in the space of the internet, and what sharing this data does.
Natasha Caruana’s assistant Sarah Howe (Photographer and MA Student at the RCA) came to speak about Natasha’s project The Married Man. She discussed the creation of the project, publications and their collection of comments that the project receives online.
Myself giving a reading of Joy Bell’s Ode to Tinder. Through this essay she discusses the power of the male gaze and how Tinder creates opportunities to refract this gaze. She also raises points of how a swipe ‘yes’ on Tinder is in no way to be misconstrued as consent for sexual activity. (https://madgirlslovesong.com/2016/03/24/an-ode-to-tinder/ - for the essay)
Em Scribbler who spoke about her experiences on whatsyourprice.com, a dating site created where users can buy and sell dates. She told us a few accounts from these dates and how the digital aspect of the relationship would follow through to the live face to face date. She also spoke of the lack of harassment on such sites. This lead on to discussion of why there may be less harassment on these sites in comparison to free sites such as Tinder.
I really enjoyed the symposium and would love to make this an annual event where we discuss themes around technology and dating sites. It can only be presumed that within the space of a year, the technology and debates around these themes will have shifted.
Now that the project has been submitted for the degree and as I head towards my Masters commencing in September, I would like to make a publication of Privacy Lust and The Museum of Sexual Harassment.
I would like to say a huge thank you to those who supported and attended the event. I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion that was prompted around each of the speakers themes. Thank you so much for each speakers time that you put into your presentations, they were incredibly engaging and have definitely provoked a whole knew set of thoughts around the topic. I hope to work again with you all soon!
The Speakers:
Katrina Sluis - http://lsbu.academia.edu/KatrinaSluis
Sarah Howe - https://twitter.com/SarahHowePhoto?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Natasha Caruana - http://www.natashacaruana.com
Em Scribbler - http://mllescribbler.blogspot.co.uk
Joy Bell - https://madgirlslovesong.com