Perceived privacy and security risk of smart-home devices

Perceived privacy and security risk of smart-home devices

There is a strongly increasing presence of smart devices (smart speakers, TVs, security cameras, energy systems, etc) in people’s homes, which brings new privacy and security risks to citizens. Cyber-attackers, your landlord, or just a family member, may spy on you through the smart camera. Or a cyber-attacker may switch on your smart sprinkler system or switch off your heating while you are not aware of it. Unfortunately, users of smart home devices seem to lack awareness and understanding of these risks and of effective countermeasures.

Limited scientific insight is yet available on how exactly people perceive the privacy and security risks of smart devices, if, when, how and why they take protective action, which groups are particularly vulnerable to the risks, and how can vulnerable people be persuaded or nudged to take more protective action.

In this research line, we focus on gaining comprehensive understanding of (antecedents of) privacy and security risk perception and protective action taking and develop and test interventions that increase protective action taking.

We have the following projects ongoing:

• PhD research on “Privacy and security risk perception of smart home IoT” by Michelle Walterscheid.
• VU-UT funded research project on “The future of living in smart cities: privacy in the smart home at the crossroads of psychology and law” by Dr. Nicole Huijts, Dr. Silvia De Conca, Dr. Alex van der Zeeuw, Tijmen Wisman and Boudewijn Steenbreker.
• DIVD funded research titled “On the way to motivating people to take protective action”, examining  psychological factors that undermine or support valid privacy and security concerns and that influence effective protective action against security risks. by Dr. Nicole Huijts, Michelle Walterscheid, Marielle Stel and Jeroen van der Ham-de Vos.

Interested in hearing more about this research line and/or do you want to collaborate? Please contact Nicole Huijts

See for more information on recent, related findings in this youtube video (by Tilburg University Studium Generale) on Nothing to hide? Why privacy matters more than ever, and this radio interview (in Dutch), We hebben steeds meer slimme apparaten in huis, maar kennen we de risico’s?