This doctoral thesis
investigates private surveillance practices in everyday life, ranging from
control-related monitoring to watching for familial care, for both practical
and playful purposes. The focus is on individual camera surveillance practices
in private and semi-private places such as homes and recreational surroundings.
The work is located in the field of Surveillance Studies.

The research builds on the view that
surveillance in its current form cannot be conceptualized merely in the
framework of control, and recognizes that play can be offered as an
alternative. Consequently, the objective is to examine how private surveillance
practices can be placed in between, and beyond, frames of control and play.
Furthermore, the aim is to examine how surveillance traditionally understood as
a control-related activity can be connected to game-like and playful practices
on a theoretical level.

The study includes four research articles
and a summary article. The main body of the empirical data is comprised of
qualitative interviews (N:23) collected in Finland with users of private
surveillance equipment. Two articles build on interview data, one is a case
study (on an online surveillance application) and one is grounded on a
theoretical analysis of playful traits in surveillance practices.

The main result from the empirical data
is that while private surveillance practices connect to forms of
control-related monitoring and playful watching practices, uses are not limited
to either but combine and add to them. A particularly interesting combination
of the two is manifested in gamified surveillance, where surveillants might
operate playfully, but surveillance is still authoritative. Control and play
can indeed happen simultaneously. Five types of surveillance produced with
domestic surveillance systems are recognized: controlling, caring,
recreational, communicational and sincere. Furthermore, online cameras are
analysed as practical devices which enable a convenient way to monitoring
places and property which are important to the users.

The key result on the theoretical level
is the metaphorical model of surveillance analysis presented in two of the
articles. This research introduces five novel metaphors for future surveillance
analysis: 1) cat-and-mouse, 2) hide-and-seek, 3) labyrinth, 4) sleight-of-hand,
and 5) poker. The metaphorical approach to surveillance practices proposes that
control-related surveillance can be analysed from a ludic perspective.

This study furthers both empirical and
theoretical understanding of private surveillance practices and surveillance
taking place at the interfaces of control and play. The underlying argument is
that, in addition to control and play, convenience should be considered a
framework for analysing private surveillance practices. Consequently, the
positions of surveillance subjects should also be rethought.