Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity
Examining the human context of privacy and cybersecurity to develop real-world solutions.
Research Projects
Collaborative Research: ER2: Developing Educational Resources for the Ethical Use of Pervasive Data
Principal Investigator(s): Jessica Vitak
Funder: National Science Foundation
Research Areas: Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity > Human-Computer Interaction > Information Justice, Human Rights, and Technology Ethics > Machine Learning, AI, Computational Linguistics, and Information Retrieval > Social Networks, Online Communities, and Social Media
This project develops educational resources and training to promote ethical practices in the collection, storage, and analysis of pervasive data from digital platforms. By creating case studies, interactive modules, and “train the trainer” programs, it aims to enhance responsible research practices among computing students and early-career researchers.
Principal Investigator(s): Jessica Vitak
Funder: National Science Foundation
Research Areas: Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity > Human-Computer Interaction > Information Justice, Human Rights, and Technology Ethics > Machine Learning, AI, Computational Linguistics, and Information Retrieval > Social Networks, Online Communities, and Social Media
This project develops educational resources and training to promote ethical practices in the collection, storage, and analysis of pervasive data from digital platforms. By creating case studies, interactive modules, and “train the trainer” programs, it aims to enhance responsible research practices among computing students and early-career researchers.
Inclusive ICT Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (TRACE RERC)
Principal Investigator(s): J. Bern Jordan Amanda Lazar Hernisa Kacorri
Funder: Health and Human Services
Research Areas: Accessibility and Inclusive Design > Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity > Human-Computer Interaction
This $4.6M TRACE RERC grant advances research and development to expand accessible information and communication technologies for people with disabilities.
Principal Investigator(s): J. Bern Jordan Amanda Lazar Hernisa Kacorri
Funder: Health and Human Services
Research Areas: Accessibility and Inclusive Design > Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity > Human-Computer Interaction
This $4.6M TRACE RERC grant advances research and development to expand accessible information and communication technologies for people with disabilities.
Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Medium: Supporting Privacy Negotiation Among Multiple Stakeholders in Smart Environments
Principal Investigator(s): Jessica Vitak
Funder: National Science Foundation
Research Areas: Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity
Internet-of-Things devices are increasingly used in shared spaces (e.g., homes, apartments, schools, hospitals, workplaces), and different stakeholders in these environments have unique privacy needs and expectations. This project investigates privacy negotiation behaviors in smart environments by designing, developing, and deploying an interactive system to collect people’s real-world privacy negotiation behaviors.
Principal Investigator(s): Jessica Vitak
Funder: National Science Foundation
Research Areas: Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity
Internet-of-Things devices are increasingly used in shared spaces (e.g., homes, apartments, schools, hospitals, workplaces), and different stakeholders in these environments have unique privacy needs and expectations. This project investigates privacy negotiation behaviors in smart environments by designing, developing, and deploying an interactive system to collect people’s real-world privacy negotiation behaviors.
Faculty
Staff
Recent News
Photo licensed by Adobe Stock via Oleg Breslavtsev
Fortune News: Washington State Wants to Keep Employers from Microchipping Workers, Before Anyone Even Gets the Idea (ft. Jessica Vitak)
Professor Jessica Vitak highlights workplace surveillance risks as lawmakers move to ban employer-mandated microchipping tech
Nikole Grandez, InfoSci ’23, MIM ’25
Alumni Profile: Leveling Up: How a MIM Alum Built an IT Career on Curiosity and Grit
InfoSci and MIM alum Nikole Grandez turned persistence into a profession
Photo courtesy of Maryland Global