The final project of year 3, and the last project for BA (Hons) Information and Interface Design is self-directed, meaning I decide what I want to work on. Thinking of a brief is challenging, though I do have experience in generating design briefs since I have done this for my Unsecured CCTV Cameras project, and IoT Surveillance project. Both these projects followed the same theme of surveillance, which lead me to consider whether my final major project (FMP) could follow the same theme, and maybe expanding on one of these issues further.
I also had a keen interest to develop my Augmentative and Alternative Communication interface project, which I completed for my thesis. This is a tool I developed which actually impacted a person's life positively, therefore would be a great reason to continue expanding it to more users. When you find a user need and have developed the way to accommodate that user need, I think it's important to allow this tool to reach more of those who need it. Expanding this project would be difficult since I had already built the program. However, I had only built it for the needs of one person. If I were to take it further for FMP, I would have loved to build the marketing around the tool, and built a database for it which allows a vast number of users to connect to the service, and personalise their own dashboards. After I had explained my idea to Oliver, it was made apparent that this is more of a Computer Science FMP, not a BA project, and whilst the outcome would have hit some aspects of the marking criteria really well, it would completely lack in others. Therefore, I had decided this project would be developed in my spare time, as an extracurricular, as I am very passionate about it and I believe it would do users well if it got out there.
So I went back to exploring the idea of sticking to surveillance. I didn't know yet what I wanted to do. I really liked the idea of using camera feeds as it would give the project a feeling of unease, looking into someone's life without their knowledge. But I would need a valid reason to use a camera feed again. I then thought about IoT Surveillance and how that could be expanded.
Types of outcomes
I began exploring the forms my final project would take. I knew I definitely wanted my outcome to be physical, or a part of my outcome, using the 3D prototyping lab at LCC to build something. I knew I wanted to code an interface and visualise raw data. Once I had decided these, I kept them in the back of my mind whilst I conducted my initial research into what aspect of surveillance I wanted to explore.
Initial research
Here is a list of what was going through my mind:
Exposing mundane privacy
Exploring privacy
5G internet
Fibre optic internet
AI in security.
Privacy through specific apps, e.g Snapchat and its Snap Maps feature allowing users to post public videos/images which also exposes their accurate location
Some project titles developed to inspire ideas:
The Death of Privacy
The Real, Every Day, Privacy Issues
Speculative Privacy
Politics of Data Policy
Unlawful / Unethical Surveillance
Is Privacy a Luxury
Examples of design brief overviews:
A FMP which builds a human personality/identify in response to data found off the web, and what services know of about you.
A FMP which explores privacy after you die. What happens to your account. Possible outcome: Interface showing you in the afterlife?
A FMP where I create my own voice assistant, like the Google Assistant. Using Google AIY Kit. This voice assistant could dictate everything that happens in a CCTV feed. Dictate when your privacy's been breached?
A FMP where I create some sort of device, like a camera that does special things?
A FMP which exposes how invasive technologies will affect our lives in the coming years, and how we can protect our basic rights to privacy, identity, and autonomy when technology is making invasion and control easier than ever before.
A FMP which explores the rise of surreptitious filming / the issue of hidden cameras.
A FMP which explores Surveillance Capitalism.
Reference list:
Alessandria, F.L. (2020) Google Privacy. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/78368135/Google-Privacy?tracking_source=search%7Cprivacy (Accessed: 9 February 2020).
Arambartholl.com. (2020). Speculative Privacy – Aram Bartholl. [online] Available at: https://arambartholl.com/speculative-privacy/ (Accessed: 3 February 2020).
Chinworth, M. (2020) The Washington Post / Tech Privacy Series 2019. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/91154629/The-Washington-Post-Tech-Privacy-Series-2019 (Accessed: 9 February 2020).
Hackster.io. (2020). THERO: A Physical Device for Internet Privacy Control. Available at: https://www.hackster.io/news/thero-a-physical-device-for-internet-privacy-control-f1aa8b1c1314 (Accessed: 3 February 2020).
Lauren-mccarthy.com. (2020). Lauren Lee McCarthy. Available at: https://lauren-mccarthy.com/ (Accessed: 3 February 2020).
Neiva, S. (2020). Creation of a cube that highlights the importance of protecting one's privacy in today's digital age. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/71275677/Privacy (Accessed: 9 February 2020).
Prosperidade. (2020) [ film ] Freenet. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/10002009/-film-Freenet?tracking_source=search%7Cprivacy (Accessed: 9 February 2020).
Sambora, M. and Krupa, K. (2020) CakeWallet - First Open Source Monero Wallet. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/78992065/CakeWallet-First-Open-Source-Monero-Wallet?tracking_source=search%7Cprivacy (Accessed: 9 February 2020).
Saxton, A. (2020) Kangaroo Privacy Cam. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/88476595/Kangaroo-Privacy-Cam (Accessed: 9 February 2020).
Visnjic, F. (2020). Alias – A teachable “parasite” for your smart assistant. Available at: https://www.creativeapplications.net/objects/alias-a-teachable-parasite-for-your-smart-assistant/ (Accessed: 3 February 2020).
Visnjic, F. (2020). Open Data Cam. Available at: https://www.creativeapplications.net/news/open-data-cam/ (Accessed: 3 February 2020).
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