Private matter

UK – A new five-part interactive documentary series examines the phenomenon of mass surveillance.

• I Spy (With My Five Eyes) focuses on the Five Eyes surveillance programme
• The online series features interviews with a National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower, a former Anonymous hacker and a cyber-security expert

I Spy examines the scale of government-led programmes to monitor citizens’ digital communications. It focuses on Five Eyes, a secretive intelligence-gathering alliance between the NSA, the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), Canada’s Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC), the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB).

The powers wielded by the alliance have grown exponentially since its inception in 1946 as new digital tools have enabled the member governments to intercept phone calls, emails, internet search histories and social media posts from around the world.

A selection of hackers, surveillance experts and privacy advocates are interviewed to give a variety of perspectives, and viewers can share their thoughts on the films by posting comments on the website.