Blur filtration fails to preserve privacy for home-based video conferencing

ABSTRACT

Always-on video provides rich awareness for distance-separated coworkers. Yet video can threaten privacy, especially when it captures telecommuters working at home. We evaluated video blurring, an image masking method long touted to balance privacy and awareness. Results show that video blurring is unable to balance privacy with awareness for risky situations. Reactions by participants suggest that other popular image masking techniques will be problematic as well. The design implication is that image masking techniques will not suffice for privacy protection in video-based telecommuting situations. Other context-aware privacy-protecting strategies are required, as illustrated in our prototype context-aware home media space.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.1 Multimedia Information Systems
          Subjects: Evaluation/methodology

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.1 Multimedia Information Systems
          Subjects: Video (e.g., tape, disk, DVI)
      H.5.3 Group and Organization Interfaces
          Subjects: Synchronous interaction; Evaluation/methodology; Collaborative computing; Computer-supported cooperative work

  J. Computer Applications
  J.4 SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
      K.4.1 Public Policy Issues
          Subjects: Privacy; Regulation

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Human Factors, Security

Keywords:
Telecommuting, awareness, video conferencing