Case Study: Smart Homes

Investigating the risks and harms linked to connected smart devices in homes

Project Summary

The AGENCY’s smart home case study investigates the risks and harms linked to connected smart devices in homes. Whilst smart technologies aid wellbeing and offer convenience and independence, they also pose security and privacy threats—like tech abuse. Tech abuse happens when smart devices are exploited to monitor, harass, or control household members. How can we ensure that smart home technologies enhance user AGENCY without exposing users to new kinds of harm? Our project focuses on identifying vulnerabilities in smart home devices and developing solutions that empowers users, especially those at greater risk due to gender, age, disability, or ethnic identity. Our research collaborates with researchers, industry and communities through workshops and seminars to co-create user-centric smart home devices safety.

Topics included within this case study include:

Using federated learning to decentralise processing smart home data
Using ChatGPT to pick out the relevant points from privacy policies
An arcade game which tests players’ perception of GDPR data categories and how they expect their smart home data to be used.