Owen Mundy

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I Know Where Your Cat Lives, 2014-

'I Know Where Your Cat Lives' is a data visualization which locates seven million public images of cats on a world map based on the coordinates users have unknowingly uploaded in their metadata. The cat photos were accessed via publicly available APIs provided by popular photo sharing websites and then run through various clustering algorithms using a supercomputer in order to represent the enormity of the data source.

This project explores two uses of the Internet: one that promotes sharing for the sociable and humorous appreciation of domesticated felines, and one in which the status quo of personal data usage is exploited by start-ups and international mega-corporations, who are riding the wave of decreased privacy for all. By using the popularity of cat pictures on the Internet, Mundy cleverly reminds us of this double-edged sword. After all, it could just as well be the interior of our homes or our kids displayed in this work.