University of Waterloo

Purpose

The management of technology in the home can unnecessarily burden older adults and, if done incorrectly, create substantial risks to both security and privacy. This is particularly problematic with the increased adoption of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices such as smart speakers, which are easier to expose users’ privacy or security, especially for those less technology savvy such as older adults. Currently, the privacy and security burden is on the consumer – a solution that is not practical when consumers such as older adults lack the technical expertise. This presents significant barriers to the use of digital technologies to support aging in place. To address these barriers, this Project aims to develop knowledge products (such as standards and design guidelines) that will assist both consumers and developers in securing the data of devices as well as the privacy of users by utilizing human-computer interaction techniques to develop usable security management for older adults.