Sara McLafferty’s, “Women and GIS: Geosptial Technologies and Feminist Geographies,” discusses the intersection between feminism, GIS technologies, and the impact of these technologies in women’s lives. McLafferty mentions the shift from a “pro-techonology” stance to an “anti-technology” stance within gender and technology discourse, primarily caused by the view that technology merely “perpetuate[s] and reproduce[s] gendered social relations” rather than liberating women from said constructs. However, there is a more nuanced view that “acknowledges technologies can have both positive and negative impacts at the same time…[these] vary among diverse social groups.” The way in which technologies are either positive or negative depend exclusively on why these technologies develop, and “how, where, and by whom [this technologies] are used.” Negative uses of technology can be most prominently seen when technological tools are used in attempts to control or monitor others for the sake of exerting power or dominance.
McLafferty mentions the increasing presence of geographical technologies within the realm of surveillance and monitoring. She mentions “closed-circuit TV cameras, high-resolution satellite imagery, tracking devices, and cell phones” as examples of specific instances of surveillance-monitoring equipment. However, since the publication of McLafferty’s article in 2006, cell phones have become capable of much more, and thereby contain more sensitive information. The sheer amount of data collected and retained within smartphones can lead people with malicious intentions desiring access over them. This is especially likely to happen with women who are in domestic abuse situations.
In NPR’s report, “Smartphones Are Used To Stalk, Control Domestic Abuse Victims,” the various ways abusive partners use technology for negative use is discussed in detail. According the report, “cyberstalking is now a standard part of domestic abuse in the U.S.” Many abusive partners use spyware and other tools to monitor domestic abuse victims who either attempted to leave and are in shelter situations, or are still within the abusive relationship. Many domestic abuse counselors require new arrivals to participate in a “digital detox,” which requires a complete shut down of a cellphone’s GPS and Wi-Fi, as well as staying away from Facebook. This is because:
Eighty-five percent of the shelters [NPR] surveyed say they’re working directly with victims whose abusers tracked them using GPS. Seventy-five percent say they’re working with victims whose abusers eavesdropped on their conversation remotely — using hidden mobile apps [such as MSpy]. And nearly half the shelters [NPR] surveyed have a policy against using Facebook on premises, because they are concerned a stalker can pinpoint location.
This NPR report is a modern day example of geoslavery, “in which the master coercively or surreptitiously monitors or exerts control over the location of another individual.” While tracking can be beneficial for parents wanting to make sure their children are safe and accounted, when used by the wrong people for the wrong goals, the results can be horrifying, as seen in NPR’s example. This report shows the ways technology can be used to control and surveil woman in an exclusively gendered way.
Sara McLafferty, “Women and GIS: Geosptial Technologies and Feminist Geographies”
Aarti Shahani, “Smartphones Are Used To Stalk, Control Domestic Abuse Victims.” NPR. NPR, 15 Sept. 2014. Web.