Post-Visual Security

The networked digital images taken by or shown on your smartphone are different from previous forms of images. The visible part of these images is only part of the information these images carry, for behind the image is metadata that tell of when it was taken, how many times it has been seen, and much else. This data matters for the roles digital images play in security politics and practice. The post-visual security project studies issues like the automatic filtering of videos on YouTube, or how citizens use imags to act as intelligence agencies. It develops tools for understanding how more-than-visual images do many other things than just show something. While the politics of visual representation is well understood, we don't know much about how the more-than-visual elements of digital images are part of contemporary security practices. The post-visual security project is the first step in filling this gap.