Public health surveillance and the media: a dyad of panoptic and synoptic social control

Evidence for physical activity guidelines as a public health intervention: efficacy, effectiveness, and harm – a critical policy sciences approach

“…However, once it is acknowledged and accepted that the guidelines have become a direct public health intervention, unintended effects relate to whether guidelines perceived to be "challenging goals will cause the public to reject the guidelines as unrealistic" (Brawley & Latimer, 2007, p. S181) and thus discourage them from trying in the first place (Bethancourt, Rosenberg, Beatty, & Arterburn, 2014;Couch, Han, Robinson, & Komesaroff, 2015;Moore et al, 2012;Sparling, 2015), which raises the prospect that the guidelines may cause actual harm by being less effective than doing nothing. Opportunity costs relate to the possibility that recommendations at alternative levels may result in greater health benefits at a population level.…”

Obese Adults’ Perceptions of News Reporting on Obesity

“…Yet, with the rise of online forms of mass media (such as online newspapers) and social media, such as blogs, microblogs, forums, and social network sites, the dyadic relationship between the panopticon and synopticon has become more nuanced because of the potential participatory nature of these online media (Couch, Han, Robinson, & Komesaroff, 2015). Social media interacts with mass media, including public health media-based social marketing campaigns.…”

“…In contrast with these opportunities for resistance, empowerment, and discursive explorations, the Internet and newer forms of media may also extend the synopticon, such as through online reader comments reinforcing or magnifying online news article content (Couch et al, 2015). For example, a study which examined a large online forum found that obesity was highly stigmatized in forum discussions, that overweight and obese people were considered to be of diminished status, and the forum users tried to distance themselves from being labeled obese (De Brún, McCarthy, McKenzie, & McGloin, 2014).…”

“…Social media interacts with mass media, including public health media-based social marketing campaigns. In some instances, this might offer opportunities for resistance, but it may also be extending the social control function of the panopticon/synopticon dyad (Couch et al, 2015).…”

“…The interplay between the panopticon (Foucault, 1979), the synopticon (Mathiesen, 1997), and the extension of this to newer forms of media (Couch et al, 2015) provides a new theoretical perspective for examining obesity news reporting and other public health issues.…”