Social Media and Surveillance: An Anthropological Study of Moroccan Digital Lives

Abstract

This article explores the concept of digital surveillance in the context of digital freedom and the right to privacy. It uncovers new dimensions of digital surveillance sanctioned by social media users in their search for recognition. The article adopts an anthropological approach, conducting an analytical-interpretive study of the digital lives of a sample of Moroccan social media users. It finds that the more an individual engages in digital activities, the tighter their space for privacy becomes and the more their perception of digital freedom changes in light of the ethical constraints associated with the use of digital spaces. The ongoing digitization of public and private spaces leads individuals to internalize the concept of digital surveillance, which becomes a mechanism for self-censorship.