Authority baiting as art: On patrol with the Love Police

Authors

  • Thomas Chesney Nottingham University Business School

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v22i12.7122

Keywords:

sousveillance, filming in public, panopticon, YouTube

Abstract

We study authority baiting on YouTube, videos whose content is constructed around the theme of a filmmaker questioning an authority figure. Using the theoretical context of sousveillance we examine the ideology of these vloggers, the style of their videos, laws and regulations that impact on baiting, and the audience of these performances. We draw conclusions on the existence of this vlogging community based on an imbalance of power. This imbalance stems from the authority figure’s position and from technology. The second of these is now almost completely eroded and these filmmakers are actively trying to erode the first.

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Published

2017-12-02

How to Cite

Chesney, T. (2017). Authority baiting as art: On patrol with the Love Police. First Monday, 22(12). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v22i12.7122