Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

With this Discovery Grant, I plan to reconsider the field of usable security and privacy through a wider Universal Design lens that broadly accounts for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). In this context, security and privacy design should account for users of different ages, including children and older adults, users with different physical characteristics (e.g., skin tones), different literacy and digital literacy levels, and other cultural and socio-economic factors. We can also view attitudinal differences and preferences through this lens, such as comfort with risk-taking and privacy preferences. Although work in usable security and privacy seeks to meet the needs of different user populations, the field as a whole has not been viewed through the lens of Universal Design as an overarching framework. My long-term research goal is to develop the Universal PRIvacy and SEcurity (UPRISE) framework, which combines insights gained from both my upcoming NSERC McDonald Fellowship accessibility research and this Discovery Grant's EDI research. I am planning three general phases to the work. First, a Systematic Review of usable security and privacy literature interpreting the last 25 years of research in the field through the lens of Universal Design. Having identified areas where usable security and privacy could particularly benefit from EDI-focused research, I will undertake specific projects involving research with representative users and stakeholders following a Universal Design approach. As an example, user studies of consumer-level biometric authentication on mobile devices rarely include analysis considering participant demographics, despite known biases in biometric algorithm fairness tests. As a second example, recent experiences with remote healthcare in Canada has hinted at the longer-term transformative potential of these technologies, especially for older populations and rural communities, so it is imperative that any solutions are sensitive to the privacy and security needs of these populations. Through these and other projects, I will continue to refine the UPRISE framework, make available our collection of software samples, guidelines, software patterns, and design personas, and seek opportunities to assess their utility and effectiveness. I intend to lead yearly workshops engaging the broader usable security and privacy research community in conversation relating to Universal Design. My work could have transformative socio-economic impact by helping individuals from Canada's diverse population to interact with technology in a way that supports their privacy and security.