Digital surveillance technologies in conservation and their social implications

In recent years, a range of new and existing monitoring technologies have been developed or redeployed for the practice of conservation. These include the use of drones, camera traps, and satellite and thermal imagery for activities such as anti-poaching and law enforcement. These technologies bring exciting new technical capabilities for conservation, but they also raise social concerns related to privacy and pervasive surveillance. Without proper consultation and dialogue with local communities, it has been suggested that the use of such technologies may lead to marginalization, interstakeholder tensions, and ultimately strain the relationship between conservation agencies, local communities, and even local authorities. In many respects surveillance is constitutive of modern society, especially in urban spaces. The social implications of surveillance have been heavily researched and discussed in that context, but the application of surveillance technologies in conservation and environmental management and its impacts remain an underexplored field of inquiry. This chapter aims to explore and understand the complexities that lie behind using surveillance technologies for conservation. It argues that these digital technologies are not a panacea for all conservation-related problems and need careful review before, during, and after use. The chapter also argues that it is important to consider who controls, benefits from, and pays for these technologies. Finally, the chapter calls for comprehensive ethical guidelines and frameworks of regulation that promote democratization of these technologies.