Safeguarding the "Internet of Things" for Victim-Survivors of Domestic and Family Violence: Anticipating Exploitative Use and Encouraging Safety-by-Design.

Smart, Internet-connected devices—the so-called "Internet of Things" (IoT)—pose significant threats to victim-survivors of domestic and family violence (DFV). IoT systems have been used to abuse, harass, monitor, intimidate, and gaslight victim-survivors. We present findings from an abusability anal...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Violence Against Women Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 1039 - 1063
Autores principales: Brown, Andi, Harkin, Diarmaid, Tanczer, Leonie Maria
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Sage Publications Inc. Apr2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Smart, Internet-connected devices—the so-called "Internet of Things" (IoT)—pose significant threats to victim-survivors of domestic and family violence (DFV). IoT systems have been used to abuse, harass, monitor, intimidate, and gaslight victim-survivors. We present findings from an abusability analysis that examined 13 IoT devices and allowed us to make several observations about common vulnerabilities to victim-survivors of DFV. We argue that IoT manufacturers must be encouraged to factor in the implications of DFV in the design of their products. Additionally, technology-facilitated abuse in DFV contexts must feature in industry and government safety-by-design approaches. Our results suggest ways IoT devices can be modified at low cost to alleviate opportunities for misuse, and we endorse IoT manufacturers to consider those risks early in the design stage.