Extra Credit Blog

In the book, Andrejevic discusses the concept of iMonitoring. Through today's technology, it is extremely easy to keep in touch with friends and family at all hours of the day. Whether it be by cell phone, computer, email, instant messaging, etc. we are constantly in need for connection to those around us. Nowadays we are so curious about where everyone is, what they are doing and when they are doing it, that we end up using these devices as a means of surveillance. A common type of monitoring that we use today is called 'Do-it-yourself Surveillance.' The ultimate goal for this type of investigator is to gather as much information as possible without the subject knowing. In chapter 8, Andrejevic presents the example of "Room Raiders" on MTV. This show includes three subjects and one investigator. After the subjects have all been grabbed spontaneously from their bedrooms, the investigator then has the chance to snoop through each room in order to decide which subject is the best match for him. Another MTV show that follows similar guidelines is "The X Effect." In each episode, two couples are sent to a five star resort where they believe they will be spending a romantic weekend. Instead, the two members from each couple who have had a prior relationship are sent to the romantic hotel room by themselves. The left out partners are then driven to a bungalow where they get the chance to monitor their spouses all weekend without their knowledge. In order to screen their every move, they are allowed to use video cameras, GPS and sound surveillance. Not only this, but they are also in charge of what activities their girlfriend/boyfriends will be participating in all weekend. Through this constant screening, they are able to investigate how faithful each spouse is during the hotel getaway.

Tags:

The X Effect (Season 2), MTV Shows