Algorithmic Video Surveillance (AVS) is quietly reshaping how public spaces are monitored – turning everyday life into a site of constant observation, prediction, and control. In this episode, host Seden Anlar continues her conversation with digital rights groups, mental health experts and activists, to explore the human cost of surveillance technologies that go beyond watching to predicting behaviour. AVS, first developed for large-scale sports events, is now being deployed to monitor city streets, protests, and daily routines. As surveillance shifts from investigating crimes to anticipating dissent, activists face not only political repression but a deeper psychological toll – anxiety, depression, and exhaustion by design. We ask: what happens when surveillance isn’t about stopping crime, but about making people hesitate? And how does this dissolve solidarity, trust, and the very foundations of resistance? This podcast was produced within the scope of FOCUS, a project co-financed by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EU CERV. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
France says it’s leading the fight against climate change. So why is it treating climate activists like criminals?
Security or Surveillance? Climate Activism Under Watch in France is a three-part mini-series from Are We Europe, hosted by journalist Seden Anlar. It investigates how artificial intelligence, counterterrorism rhetoric, and state surveillance are being used to silence climate activists, restrict protest, and reshape civic space in France—and across the EU.
Through personal stories and expert insight, the series explores the human cost of repression and the growing criminalisation of environmental protest.
This podcast was produced within the scope of FOCUS, a project co-financed by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EU CERV. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.