"UF to Lead $7.5M NSF-Funded Project on Protecting Security of Marginalized and Vulnerable Populations"
Using a $7.5 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, University of Florida (UF) engineers are leading a new effort to understand how current technologies such as smartphones and video conferencing marginalize groups such as the poor, children and the elderly, and the disabled, and how current and future technologies can be designed to be more inclusive. The goal is to shift computing's fundamental approach to security and privacy so that these communities are considered the norm rather than the exception, or worse, an afterthought. According to one researcher, designers often make assumptions about who they are designing for, referred to as a "default persona." They essentially go by stereotypes about who the "typical" user is. This default persona frequently includes the majority population or privileged individuals, and as a result, the needs and capabilities of marginalized and vulnerable users are typically overlooked. The team will draw on the knowledge and experiences of a large group of students from various backgrounds and disciplines. The students will be the foundation of a new generation of computing professionals who understand these design principles and can think beyond the default persona when developing their own systems. The researchers plan to use the resources of the Florida Institute for Cybersecurity (FICS) Research at UF's Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. One of the researchers specializes in cellular and voice-based systems, as well as payment systems. They also focus on improving the lives of economically marginalized and visually impaired people. This article continues to discuss the support, goals, and team behind the project on improving the security and privacy of marginalized and vulnerable populations.