[purse lip square jaw] anne galloway
UbiComp Reflections I - context awareness and privacy
A recurring claim is that security and privacy are central to viable ubicomp. Since security requires the collection of huge amounts of data - think what is necessary for user authentication alone - we are faced with how best to collect, store and administer these data. For example, who will have access to this information? How long will it be stored?
While certainly these are questions of social importance, I don't think it is reasonable - or responsible - to continue developing and deploying these technologies with the attitude that these are purely "social issues" or "policy problems" that have nothing to do with the research and development of ubiquitous computing.
Technology does not exist separately from these issues and problems, and neither do those issues and problems arise only in the use of these technologies. We need to find ways to integrate these concerns into the research and design processes ...
The always interesting Anne Galloway (Now why did none of my University Lecturers look like that?) providing some excellent points on problems of identity, privacy and security within a Ubiquitous Computing Environment. She is currently attending UbiComp 2003, an annual conference on the topic. Ubiquitous computing BTW is about computers being 'everywhere' and doing pretty much everything to do with everyday life. And guess what ladies and gentlemen? We aren't that far away from this. Its looking more sci fact than sci fiction.
Anne points to some good reads from the conference (also prior to this posting). I was particularly interested in this one on Trust in Ubicomp (note its a link to a PDF file).
Good stuff!
Posted by Paul Goodison at October 17, 2003 10:40 PM | TrackBack