Communication professor publishes book on wearable technology and the complex ways data influences daily life

A new book by James Gilmore, associate professor in the Clemson University Department of Communication, investigates the use of data collected by wearable technology for the purposes of surveillance and power.

In the book, Bringers of Order: Wearable Technologies and the Manufacturing of Everyday Life, published by the University of California Press, Gilmore examines how wearable technology is used by companies, organizations and institutions to gather data – and knowledge – about users’ daily lives.

“I have been studying wearable technology since I received my first Fitbit more than a decade ago – and over the years, the notion that wearable technology brings order to an otherwise chaotic life has become more widely accepted,” said Gilmore. “My new book provides evidence-based examples of how organizations use the idea of order to normalize data manufacturing and influence new ways of living.”  

As the first-of-its-kind in communication and media, the book explores the implementation of wearable technology in areas of employment, public safety, health and wellness, athletics and more – and demonstrates how organizations use this technology to influence interactions with individuals and communities.

For example, South Carolina was the first state to mandate body cameras for police officers to improve interactions between officers and civilians. Additionally, some insurance companies require policy holders to wear Fitbit fitness trackers – and collect data on users’ daily habits – to maintain life insurance coverage. As such, Gilmore explores how this data is being used to reshape how individuals think about their bodies, health and lives.

Using real-world scenarios and examples of media, advertising, film and television, company reports and legal policies, he demonstrates how data manufacturing and knowledge production serves companies’ interests by reshaping users’ personal views through three modes of power: normalcy, surveillance and solutionism. 

“Dr. Gilmore’s new book empowers consumers to think critically about the way their personal data is collected and used by companies and organizations in a seemingly innocuous way,” said Deanna Sellnow, chair of the Department of Communication. “It also serves as an excellent resource for scholars who wish to deepen their understanding of a critical – yet understudied – topic in communication and media.” 

Gilmore said he is particularly proud of this work as it has crossover appeal for researchers, faculty members and consumers interested in wearable technology from a unique communication and media perspective. To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/4gxiBh8.  

The Department of Communication is part of the University’s College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS). Established in July 2016, CBSHS is a 21st-century, land-grant college that combines work in seven disciplines – communication; nursing; parks, recreation and tourism management; political science; psychology; public health sciences; sociology, anthropology and criminal justice – to further its mission of “building people and communities” in South Carolina and beyond.