Surveillance Capital

'Surveillance Capital' illustrates the disturbing reality of the direction our current digital age is heading in regards to privacy. The artwork, created in collaboration with AI, features a central bank for digital currencies symbolizing the increasing power of technology and finance in our lives.

The title is a play on words using the concept of "surveillance capitalism", (a business model where companies profit by collecting and analyzing personal data and using that information to target them with ads) and combining it with the concept of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), a form of digital money currently in development by governments across the world which is capable of not only surveilling individual transactions, but also controlling whether or not each transaction may take place. The word "Capital" has a double meaning in this case, as a Capital may be defined as: (1) wealth in the form of money or other assets (2) the most important city or town in a given region. In this artwork, the "Digital Currency Central Bank" is loosely modeled after the US Capitol Building.

The artwork depicts a bleak vision of a society where technology and finance have taken over every aspect of life, in which citizens are blind to their own oppression; even celebrating it. 'Surveillance Capital' serves as a powerful commentary on the erosion of privacy and autonomy in our digital age and the increasing control that technology and finance have over our lives.

In the center of the scene is a central bank for digital currencies, a symbol of the increasing importance of technology in finance and economy. Looming above the bank is a giant eye, representing the constant surveillance and monitoring that has become an inseparable part of our daily lives.

The crowd around the bank is cheering, blind to the ominous presence of the eye and the flying surveillance drones that circle above, keeping watch over their every move. The banking overlords reigning from above are depicted as powerful, somewhat angelic figures enforcing their control over the crowd and the bank through the use of technology.

The most ominous element of the artwork is the giant all-seeing eye, symbolizing the complete loss of privacy and autonomy, it looms over the scene, watching over everything and everyone.. reminding us that we are always being watched.

The intention of this artwork is to serve as a powerful visual commentary on the dangers of unchecked technological progress and the need for caution in embracing the future.

Inspiration for the artwork:

CBDC's are quite literally the opposite of why bitcoin was invented. Bitcoin was invented to remove middle-men, take control of monetary policy away from governments and put it into incorruptible code, and to create a system where transactions are resistant to censorship.

CBDCs are dangerous for individual privacy for several reasons:

Data collection: CBDCs would likely require individuals to provide personal information to open accounts, conduct transactions and comply with anti-money laundering regulations. This information would be stored in a central database, making it vulnerable to data breaches, hacking, or surveillance by governments or other actors.

Increased surveillance: CBDCs could enable governments to monitor financial transactions in real-time, making it easier for them to track and analyze the spending habits of individuals. This could be used to identify and target individuals for surveillance or other actions.

Lack of anonymity: Unlike cash, CBDCs would not provide the same level of anonymity in transactions. This could lead to a loss of privacy as individuals' financial transactions would be easily traceable and linked to their identity.

Limited financial freedom: With CBDCs, governments would have more control over individuals' financial transactions. This could lead to restrictions on how individuals can use their money and could limit their financial freedom.

Government control: CBDCs would give governments more control over the monetary system and the ability to control the flow of money in the economy, including the ability to implement negative interest rates, which would be a direct hit on the citizens' savings.

Surveillance Capital uses licensed music: Across the Gates by Origami Pigeon. For sound design, I edited the track to make the loop, added in some crowd sounds (protesting, cheering), drones, and other digital sound effects.

Surveillance Capital by Lucho Poletti