Challenges for Privacy with Ubiquitous Sensor Logging
JAMES R. SCOTT · 2008
Abstract. In this position paper I discuss some implications for privacy of a future where sensing and logging of sensor data is ubiquitous. 1 Ubiquitous Sensing: A Genie Awakened Sensors are ubiquitous. To take the medium of sound as an example, the number of microphones present in a home, office, or even in public spaces like streets is huge and is expected to keep growing. These sensors are not just present in situated hardware such as telephones, computer terminals, etc, but are also present in mobile devices such as phones, media players (e.g. iPods), consumer electronics such as navigation devices, and so on. The deployed sensors are also not under a single entity’s control, with individuals, corporations and governments all having control over many sensors. While audio is perhaps the most pervasive sensor type (due to telephones), other types of sensors deployed and being deployed include cameras (phones, CCTV, webcams), location sensors (GPS, radio-based), environmental sensors, physiological sensors, neighbourhood object/person sensors (RFID, radio-based), etc.