Point of view

Abstract

Entering the digital realm creates a data persona, resulting in an uncanny and often unpleasant co-existence of biological and data selves. To conduct an auto-ethnography, I examine this state of being by utilizing a dataset of screenshots which, generated by an automatized screen capture process of my phone, freezes my Point of View at regular intervals. This visual form of data, captured on a random, subconscious level, mirrors unremarkable everyday interactions and archives snapshots in the relentless circulation of data. The analysis of the screenshots reveals that my data self only partially represents my biological self, bringing about a number of "glitching selves" as artefacts of attempts at having my data persona and my biological self converge. By curating screenshots as tangible data artefacts, I illustrate the data glut – excess data produced in trying to merge my digital and biological selves. This excess can become mere junk, emphasizing the absurdity of my data glut or the source of an escape from being only one self.