Sousveillance versus Transparent Cattlecars

(This is in response to my finding http://www.smartmobs.com/archives/000406.html.)

Sometimes people mistake Sousveillance (inverse surveillance) for Transparency.

But I think it's important to point out the differences between Sousveillance and Transparency. Transparency suggests we simply give up our privacy, but it misses an important element, namely the need for a true inverse surveillance, and not just an "everyone can see everyone" world (with, of course, some secret police hiding from it all).

Transparency is closer to what I call ``Coveillance'' (or ``Côtéveillance'' from ``à côté de'', French for next-to, as in nosy neighbours watching what you're up to), wheras Sousveillance means watching from below (in hierarchy). See http://wearcam.org/sousveillance.htm or for more detail, a longer paper, http://wearcam.org/sousveillance.pdf or for even more detail, my book, (follow http://wearcam.org/cyborg.htm).

I just don't think we should give up and be so easily led off to transparent cattlecars. I see a definite need for Sousveillance, whereas I strongly oppose the idea of Transparency.