Measures Against the Pandemic as the Panoptical Eye of the Power: The Example of Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

Epidemics threatened the daily life activities of human societies in certain periods of history. Epidemic diseases, known as disasters that resulted in the death of millions of people, have always been issues that occupy humanity, to be detected from the moment they emerged and to seek solutions to end the epidemic. Having knowledge means having power. Therefore, the easiest way to retain information is through surveillance. Considering the history of epidemic diseases, it is seen that surveillance practices are frequently used. In the information society that emerged with new communication technologies, it is seen that individuals voluntarily participate in surveillance and the walls of the prison have changed by demolishing. Covid-19, which rapidly increased in coronavirus cases and turned into a global epidemic, is known to increase the use of surveillance practices by all states globally to control the epidemic. Fear of the epidemic in societies has become considerable than the privacy of personal data, and their voluntary participation in these practices has been a matter of concern. This consent-based process brings with it criticisms of legitimizing the surveillance society, which has been at the center of discussions since the past. Surveillance played an important role in the rise of totalitarian regimes. The legitimacy of a supervised social structure will accelerate the rise of totalitarian regimes, depriving people of living in an unlimited but self- controlled prison.