The Transformation of Panoptic Power: The Internalized Discipline of the Individual in the Surveillance Society
Keywords:
Power, Panopticon, Foucault, BenthamAbstract
Contemporary societies have evolved into a surveillance regime where Foucault’s concept of the Panopticon is reinterpreted due to the widespread adoption of digital technologies. The Panopticon, originally conceived through the traditional prison model, is no longer limited to physical spaces but manifests itself prominently in the digital realm. States, major technology corporations, and social media platforms have developed modern surveillance systems that constantly monitor individuals and shape their behavior.This paper revisits Bentham’s classic Panopticon, interprets it through Foucault’s lens of disciplinary society, and then expands the analysis using Gilles Deleuze’s control society and Shoshana Zuboff’s surveillance capitalism frameworks. It addresses how individuals participate in self-surveillance through algorithmic mechanisms, social media behavior, and AI-based monitoring technologies. Case studies such as China’s Social Credit System, the NSA revelations, and the Cambridge Analytica scandal are used to demonstrate contemporary applications of digital panoptic power.The study concludes that surveillance mechanisms today are not only instruments of observation but also tools for behavioral shaping and normalization. The article critically evaluates the limitations of the Panopticon metaphor and offers a comprehensive view of how surveillance reshapes perceptions of freedom, autonomy, and privacy in digital society.
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