ABSTRACT
In this paper we argue that surveillance can be illuminated by framing surveillance regimes as sociotechnical systems of accountability, and then comparing surveillance to transparency regimes also framed as sociotechnical systems of accountability. We begin by grounding our understanding of accountability in the relationship between technology and democracy. We next explore surveillance and transparency regimes as traditionally and separately conceived and then show how they both function as mechanisms of accountability in democratic societies. The framing allows us, first, to compare the systems and ask a set of questions about how each kind of system constructs and positions individuals, what role information technology (IT) plays in constituting the system, and how relationships of power are arranged and maintained.
