Privacy in a Data-Driven World

Introduction

• Speaker: Blae from University of Chicago
• Focus on privacy, part of various projects with students
• Topics include security, privacy, human-computer interaction, ethical AI systems, large language models

Initial Exercise on Privacy

• Use of a photography book 'The Transparent City' by Michael Wolf
• Book contains architectural photos and zoomed-in photos of people
• Used as a tool to discuss privacy violations with students

Discussion Points from Photography Book

• Questions of consent and awareness of being photographed
• The context and setting (office vs. home, identifiable vs. non-identifiable)
• The use of images and how it's perceived differently by various students
• Exploration of legal and societal implications of privacy

Historical Context of Privacy

• Samuel Warren and Louis Brandeis' 1890 article on the right to privacy
• Discussion of privacy's conceptual evolution over the 20th century
• Notable scholars: Alan Westin, Anin Alman, Sandra Petronio, Dan Solove, Helen Nissenbaum
• Privacy as control of information or contextual integrity

Privacy Principles and Laws

• Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPs) by the US Federal Trade Commission
  • Notice, choice, access, data security, and enforcement
  • Real-world problem with notice (e.g., long privacy policies)
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU
  • Rights: data erasure, objection to data processing, breach notification, access to information, design privacy
• US Sectoral Laws on Privacy
  • Children’s privacy (COPPA), financial data (FCRA), educational data (FERPA), health data (HIPAA)
  • Notable example: Video rental records law due to historical events
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)

Data-Driven World

• The analogy of data to oil, highlighting both positive and negative aspects
• Challenges with data collection, economic marginalization, geopolitical implications
• Importance of privacy in the context of data-driven technologies like machine learning and large language models
• Exploration of the argument that 'privacy is dead'
  • Example of a Dean of Engineering claiming privacy is irrelevant due to social media

User Studies and Research

• Deception study to understand reactions to hyper-targeted ads and privacy concerns
  • Finding creepiness doesn’t always change behavior
  • Building tools for transparency about online tracking
• Analysis of Facebook and Twitter ad targeting through data access rights
  • Findings around specific and sensitive targeting criteria

Privacy Narratives and Tools

• Developing browser extensions and apps to visualize and understand data tracking
  • Mixed results and user reactions to privacy tools
• Leveraging art and user experience for privacy education
  • Courses combining computer science and fine arts to create privacy-focused artworks
• Current projects on data access rights and building meaningful tools for data transparency

Conclusion

• Privacy is complex but can be managed even in a data-driven world
• Emphasis on system design, societal values, regulations, and the role of art in understanding data
• Mention of other ongoing projects in related areas like ethical AI, passwords security, and end-user programming

Q&A Highlights

• Addressing privacy implications of large language models like ChatGPT
• Practical challenges and workload involved in maintaining privacy
• Possible solutions like creating more private default settings and using transparency tools effectively