P5 sketch
Inspired by the topic of worker surveillance and the inefficacy of hiding: https://editor.p5js.org/ryrotella/sketches/SXoeb5_Jl
Prompt
Pick a surveillance art artwork either discussed or that you find, and review it. Discuss the methods and technologies used. Does it have an argument or a point of view? If so, how effective is it? Extra cred: reach out to the artist to ask questions that might come up for you about the work.
Analysis
I picked BaBump as a surveillance artwork to analyze. BaBump is part invention. Lark VCR made a device that is a “fake” business card holder that “tracks” an employee’s heartbeat and analyzes their mood off of it for a boss to view. However, the bulk of BaBump as an art piece is as performance art. It’s unknown if BaBump actually senses another person’s heart of if it is just an LED display with hardcoded values. The main hook of BaBump is that it satirizes the very real phenomenon of bosses surveilling employees. BaBump extends this satire so much that Lark VCR pitched this product in front of actual Venture Capitalists and startups.
Even though the performance art of BaBump adds an intriguing dimension as surveillance art, this performance art aspect also muddies BaBump as concept considerably. BaBump tackles the subject of companies and management surveilling employees but they fall very short of capturing the reality. Perhaps I have the benefit of hindsight knowing that Amazon manages workers down to their bathroom breaks, but I am still wanting so much more from BaBump than a wry poke at employee “data.” There are no interrogations of what this data is used for by a company, how these actions based off surveillance affects employees’ lives, and and the general alienation bred when an employee not only has to produce value but has to navigate constant evaluation. BaBump does not attempt to surveil bosses nor reveal how workers can break or use this technology to surveil back at bosses.
Also, what was the purpose of displaying this item at Berkeley? Did they want to scam VCs? According to LarkVCR’s writeup of their Stake in the Heart series (which BaBump is a part of): “[Lark] showcased the products at several Bay Area startup fairs, presented Babump at the Berkeley Engineering Research Symposium, and received funding and support for Meeglo from the CITRIS Foundry, a technology incubator.” Maybe they wanted to get money from gullible people for nonsensical products. I can respect that. However, how does this serve the performance? Does this suggest that we are all reliant on Silicon Valley economically now, reliant on their never-ending public funding while social service get stricken? If so, that aspect of reflexive critique leaves a lot unexplored as far as implicating an audience in wanting to be one of these CEOs.
How does Lark VCR feel about startup culture now compared to back then? Back then, on their website: “By producing work that showcases technology and its marketing trappings (and taking it a little bit too far), I show how Silicon Valley start-up culture might be leading a sometimes eager public into a dystopic future.” Well, there’s no leading anymore from Silicon Valley. We are in that very future.
Questions I’m left with
How can workers surveil/look back at bosses? Can the binary of workplace surveillance be flipped? How can tech be leveraged to help workers unionize, if it can? How can tech help facilitate collective action/collective identity in the workplace? How does the hybrid workplace factor into this dialectic equation?
Video Observations
Satirical video – based on 1-on-1 interactions between boss and employee – employee comes to boss desk for review – more about mood and using heart to capture true feeling
Got laughs at Berkeley – fake business card holder – Real Time
Brought up Obamacare law that allows companies to incentivize employees to sign up for plans/monitors
Crowd is laughing but they’re doing this
Data collection from employers is not protected under HIPPA
Laughed about feds and defense but you bastards are guilty
Your heart knows things that your mind can’t explain – key quote referenced again and again
What was hardcoded and what was picked up from a sensor lol
Ryan Rotella 
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