Society’s all-seeing stalker : An essay on how the stalker in popular culture reflects today’s surveillance society

Surveillance is part of all our lives, and the surveillance society reflects a powerful stalker. This study examines how stalkers in two popular TV shows: You and Baby Reindeer symbolize today's surveillance society. The study also examines which surveillance practices are used, and which are normalized, despite being problematic and having similarities to stalking. The purpose of the study was to examine how representations of the stalker in popular culture can make practices within the surveillance society visible, and in a broader sense, raise the issue of surveillance. Previous research has made it clear that surveillance in society is increasing, not least through large technology companies that collect personal user data, to enable targeted and manipulated content. In addition, social media is also used by people, where they both observe others and are being observed. The theoretical lens of the study is based on Stuart Hall's representation theory and Hannah Arendt's analysis of a public and private sphere. The study used a qualitative method through thematic analysis and the results presented three themes. The themes that the study resulted in were: Surveillance and stalking as a tool for control, Private and public spheres collide and Normalized surveillance in everyday life - everyone observes. Stalking is directly presented as a crime, while surveillance is a normalized part of today's society, everybody is maintaining it. The study highlighted its similar practices and how surveillance is seen as more accepted through digital invisibility. The study can contribute to a discussion on how surveillance practices are understood and problematized in society.