The Self Censor
In my research for this project, I found several meaningful interactive exhibits whose designs or messages assisted me in developing my own. In terms of the message I wanted to convey, the idea was sparked by a project I found during the research stage. “The Listening Post” by Ben Rubin and Mark Hanson used of “a real-time visualization of thousands of ongoing online conversations” that appeared on numerous screens, giving the viewer the sense that they were being watched or monitored even in spaces they had thought were safe or anonymous. For the physical design, I drew on my research of an exhibit called “The Nautilus,” which utilized a sea of human-height, touch-activated poles to create music. I also incorporated takeaways from a conversation with Rudi and Marcela about a past student’s project, which attempted to recreate the experience of a foreigner going through the TSA at a US airport. I knew that I wanted my project to feel immersive, so that the physical space the interaction took place in added to the user’s experience. Therefore, I decided to construct a voting booth that users could step into, where they would then be faced with a monitor and a series of yes or no questions about Chinese politics and their impressions of censorship. Given the recent press on the topic of self-censorship at NYU Shanghai, the goal of this project is to push students to consider what they will or won’t say and why that is. The statement made by this interaction is particularly relevant and applicable to attendees of this university as we live and study in China and, in doing so, give up certain personal freedoms.
The interactive monitor will receive input from the user regarding their opinions on Chinese politics and censorship. They will be asked true/false or yes/no questions, and then instructed to press a key (T/F or Y/N) corresponding with their answer. In between questions, the screen will flash images of controversial events and human rights abuses in China that may be disturbing or unsettling, like riot police in Hong Kong or reeducation camps in Xinjiang. After several responses that are negative towards Chinese interests, the screen will display an excerpt from the student policy handbook that informs the user that NYUSH will not protect them in the case that their online activity violates PRC law. As detailed in the handbook, “The University shall not use its powers to interfere with the rights of a student beyond the University environment. Conduct that occurs off-campus, online, over social media, or outside the context of a University program or activity, should generally be subject only to the consequences of public authority and/or opinion.” In contrast, I will also include sections of NYUSH policy that guarantee students freedom of expression and the right to protest. Questions will be asked regarding collective action, such as, “You draft an Instagram post asking your peers to rally in support of Hong Kong in the campus cafe next week. Press Y to send and N to delete.” Finally, the camera will switch on and briefly display live video of the person taking the poll, so they are aware they are being surveilled. At the end, I will prompt them to record their name to see if people are willing to link themselves to the answers they have chosen, something like, “Thank you for your participation in this survey. Please type your first and last name and press enter. To remain anonymous, press the spacebar.” I want to observe how successful the deterrents are in conditioning the students to choose less inflammatory answers. So far, I have made my full list of questions for the survey, as well as the order of the images to go along with them. I have also written the code for both the questions and the images, and aim to have the live video portion worked into the code by this week. I will ask some people to test it out on December 6 so I can take the weekend to make adjustments based on their experiences.
While the technology behind this project is relatively simple, I think the message will be very impactful. It is unique in that it addresses a particular group of people, who face all the nuances and challenges of attending the first joint US-Sino university. Our student body is in a position to both observe the affairs of China and to bring international perspectives and standards into our considerations of these issues. We have a distinct ability on our campus to discuss and debate topics that are taboo in wider Chinese society. Therefore, this project is significant in that it takes real-world current events and issues that are of huge concern to students in our position and forces us to reconsider not only why we believe what we do, but how strong those beliefs really are when they are challenged, explicitly or implicitly. This project aligns with my definition of interactivity as something that goes through multiple cycles of input and output between audience and product, and ultimately challenges the user in some way. In subsequent iterations of this project, it could easily be tailored to different audiences and topics based on current sociopolitical issues. For example, if I were to present it in the US, I could focus it on impeachment, working in various quotes from Trump or from witness testimonies during the impeachment proceedings. I could also tailor it to the issue of voter fraud, making it difficult for members of certain demographics to make it through the survey successfully. All in all, I think the format is an effective way to push people to challenge their beliefs and convictions, as well as to realize the corruption of governments in any location.