Revisiting Foucault’s panopticon: how does AI surveillance transform educational norms?
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This article applies Foucault’s theories of surveillance, disciplinary power, and normalisation to examine the shifting power dynamics in AI-mediated education. Drawing on qualitative responses from 27 English and Chinese-speaking stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators and parents with no geographical restrictions, this study investigates how AI surveillance reshapes behaviours and perceptions and identifies emergent norms in education. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes: normalising ubiquitous surveillance and behavioural control, prioritising efficiency over autonomy, reaffirming the importance of human elements in AI-assisted education, and ensuring human-AI collaboration. Machine learning is not neutral but an active agent of algorithmic control, reflecting a post-panoptic power structure. It introduces new forms of disciplinary power, encouraging behaviours aligned with efficiency at the expense of autonomy and privacy. Despite these shifts, the findings underscore the vital role of human engagement, pointing to a future where human agency remains central in regulating and complementing AI in education.
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AI detection and surveillance reshape student behavior, producing internalized compliance even when active monitoring is absent.
“Dai et al. (2025), drawing on Foucault's panopticon, show how AI detection and surveillance reshape student behavior, producing internalized compliance even when active monitoring is absent.”
From Harms and Ethical Risks of AI Detection Tools in Education: False Positives, Bias, Surveillance, and Student Rights (2026) · cites this paper as Dai et al. (2025)
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- Authors
- Dai, R., Thomas, M. K. E., & Rawolle, S.
- Affiliations
- Deakin University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Dai, Ruixun
- Venue
- British Journal of Sociology of Education
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2025-05-09
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 650-668
- ISSN
- 0142-5692 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-3346
- OpenAlex
- W4410224644
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 58
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 3
- FWCI
- 17.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- British Journal of Sociology of Education (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Digital Education and Society
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Ethics and Social Impacts of AI
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Foucault, Power, and Ethics
- Keywords
- AI monitoring, panopticon, Michel Foucault, disciplinary power, normalization, algorithmic control, student independence, privacy, human-AI collaboration, educational standards, power in education
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