Corporate and government surveillance has normalized interpersonal surveillance, eroding privacy and trust in personal relationships
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/tatum-hunter. "Checking your ex’s socials or overusing Find My Friends? Welcome to the age of interpersonal surveillance | Tatum Hunter | The Guardian." March 5, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that because big companies and governments constantly track us, we've gotten used to tracking each other too - checking our partner's phone, monitoring our kids constantly, or recording strangers. This surveillance habit is actually making our relationships worse, not better, because we're using technology instead of building real trust.
Conclusion
The normalization of corporate and government surveillance has led to widespread acceptance of invasive monitoring behaviors in personal relationships, which undermines trust and autonomy rather than strengthening connections
Premises
- Corporate and government surveillance practices have become pervasive, collecting extensive data about people's locations, communications, and behaviors
- People have become desensitized to mass data collection, with 73-79% feeling they have little control over how their data is used
- Invasive interpersonal behaviors that would have been shocking a decade ago now barely register as problematic
- Nearly 60% of young adults have experienced digital monitoring in dating relationships, and tracking has become normal in family life
- Technology-based surveillance substitutes for direct communication and trust-building in relationships
- This surveillance culture enables control and abuse, with domestic violence advocates warning about tracking features being misused
Assumptions
- Privacy and autonomy are valuable and necessary for healthy relationships
- Trust should be built through communication rather than surveillance
- Corporate and government surveillance practices influence personal behavior norms
- Technology companies and governments bear responsibility for creating surveillance culture
- People can choose to resist participating in surveillance behaviors