Intuitive Privacy from Acoustic Reach: A Case for Networked Voice User-Interfaces

Abstract

The effect that advances in voice interface technologies have on privacy has not yet received the attention it deserves. Systems in which multiple devices collaborate to provide a unified user-interface amplify those worries about privacy. We discuss ethical implications of voice enabled devices on privacy in typical scenarios at home, office, in a car and in the public. From our findings, it follows that the reach of voice can be exploited as a feature to intuitively define the extent of privacy. In particular, the acoustic reach of speech signals can serve as a feature for designing privacy-gentle voice user-interfaces which are intuitive to use. We argue that this approach poses reasonable technological requirements and establishes a natural experience of privacy which confirms intuitive perception.

The Internet of Sounds: Convergent Trends, Insights, and Future Directions

“…It is important to consider that users have an intuition and can be assumed to be competent to gauge their level of privacy and security only when it relates to human capabilities [309], [310]. However, where computer systems go beyond human, to super-human capabilities, users generally cannot be expected to have an intuition with respect to their security and privacy when they interact with the system.…”

“…For example, data intentionally shared can unintentionally leak related information or, as a form of function creep, data can be used in unexpected ways. Moreover, users' ignorance can lead to breaches, they can be tricked or coerced to share information, or their hardware or service providers can be hacked [313]. As a general policy, it is therefore important to develop products and services using the privacy-by-design approach, where the design and development process includes, from the beginning, impact assessment of security and privacy.…”