Privacy and Power: Acknowledging the Importance of Privacy Research and Design for Vulnerable Populations

Abstract

Privacy researchers and designers must take into consideration the unique needs and challenges of vulnerable populations. Normative and privileged lenses can impair conceptualizations of identities and privacy needs, as well as reinforce or exacerbate power structures and struggles—and how they are formalized within privacy research methods, theories, designs, and analytical tools. The aim of this one-day workshop is to facilitate discourse around alternative ways of thinking about privacy and power, as well as ways for researching and designing technologies that not only respect the privacy needs of vulnerable populations but attempt to empower them. We will work towards developing best practices to help academics and industry folks, technologists, researchers, policy makers, and designers do a better job of serving the privacy needs of vulnerable users of technology.