Forced and Uncertain Co-presence. Smart Cameras and Distant Homework Supervision in Eastern China

Abstract

Drawing on an extensive ethnography of migrant parents who install monitoring cameras on their children's study tables to remotely observe their homework activities, Zhenwei Wang identifies a novel form of co-presence, which she terms 'forced and uncertain co-presence.' She argues that this form of co-presence negatively impacts the emotional experiences of children with their distant parents, as the children feel controlled, distrusted, and insecure under the unseen surveillance. While her analysis is rooted in regional experiences, the concept of 'forced and uncertain co-presence' may have broader societal implications, particularly as home monitoring gains popularity in child and elderly care since the COVID-19 pandemic.