More on Watching the Watchmen...

A number of people have made the same point in relation to the sad case of Ian Tomlinson, namely, that the case shows that people's mastery of technology makes it more difficult for authorities to misuse their power. For example Robert Reiner in the Guardian today has invoked Thomas Mathiesen notion of a 'synopticon'. Similarly I have heard others invoking the notion of 'sousveillance'.

Even if this really can function as any kind of a check on misuse of power, I think there are questions to be asked as to whether this is a very appealing vision. Do we really want the basis of justice to be everyone's visibility to everyone else? Cases I've heard of 'internet vigilantism' often make me shudder, even when I think the victim of it was thoroughly in the wrong. The problem with vigilantism is that it is so uncontrolled - people get swept up in the righteous lust for justice so much that they can lose a sense of proportion.

None of this denies the possible importance of people having taken those videos on the day in question. But overall my feeling on the idea hasn't changed much from yesterday's post. I think the key question in the death of Ian Tomlinson will again be one of law - whether the policeman in question will be subject to appropriate just process. It doesn't matter if everyone knows that a particular wrong has been committed, if the wrongdoers are institutionally shielded from any kind of consequences for them. The test will come in what now happens to those involved.