The MIT Professors Bedazzling Security Cameras to Highlight Campus Surveillance

Tenured professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are decorating the university's surveillance cameras with rhinestones, googly eyes, and glitzy decorations to protest the school's investment in what they term "Big Brother technology." Faculty members Catherine D Ignazio, Marah Gubar, Tanalís Padilla, Dwai Banerjee, and Karrie Karahalios began adorning the cameras in August, following a report by The Tech that MIT would spend over $3 million on more than 500 surveillance cameras from 2025 to 2026.

The cameras, capable of AI-driven face and object identification, are stationed in exterior locations and academic facilities around campus. The professors adorn the cameras without disrupting their functionality, aiming to remind passersby that they are under surveillance. One professor explained that the decorations are meant to remind people of the campus's transformation into an "AI-capable Panopticon."

Many faculty members feel unsafe with AI-powered cameras monitoring their every move. While the university established a faculty advisory committee to decide whether the cameras should use AI, several eligible members were excluded from participating as they were barred from joining the committee. The professors argue that their concerns are grounded in scholarly expertise, particularly regarding how data, surveillance, and technology affect women and marginalized groups.

Inspired by Jill Magid, an artist who rhinestoned CCTV cameras at Amsterdam's police headquarters in 2002, the professors sought to question the visible and invisible aspects of surveillance. Magid's project raised awareness about the implications of visible surveillance, leading to the professors' initiative. They printed posters based on Magid's work and distributed them to encourage participation in the seven decoration sessions held so far.

Faculty members acknowledge that most participants, especially students, are reluctant to speak out about the surveillance cameras due to fear of retaliation from the university. Similar incidents have occurred at other universities, with surveillance cameras helping identify and punish pro-Palestine student protesters. The goal of the MIT professors is to ensure that all individuals, including students and staff, can express their opposition to surveillance without fear of reprisal.