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Using design fiction to reimagine the future of surveillance
Can a user experience be too frictionless and hands-off?
In this article, I explain my thinking process behind my senior capstone called “Staredown Toolkit” for the UW Design Program.
My interest in smart home security cameras started with my personal uses cases that go beyond security purposes. I save sentimental videos captured on my Wyze cam of my grandparents visiting or Petcube footage of my dog acting exceptionally adorable. Why? I have a feeling my future-self will appreciate these saved videos.These security videos are captured quietly and passively in intimate and private areas of our home. They create a massive digital archive of seemingly boring moments.
Often dystopian headlines about the future of technology erode our imagination out of hype or fear of unintended outcomes. Is 24–7 surveillance in your home always a scary thing? How are these video archives being interpreted and handled? Through a playful and satirical design storytelling lens, I use design fiction to explore a more active presence of surveillance technology in our daily lives.
So yes. Our relationship is complicated. I feel safe and uneasy with my smart home security cameras. I wave hi to my neighbor’s Ring doorbell. I think about all the security footage I’m unknowingly a performer in. It’s all a performance. I must be in “the cloud” somewhere. Should I be worried or excited?
Context
Pushing back on the normalization of passive technology
We are becoming comfortable with technology that blends into the background of everyday life. The calm technology movement creates the expectation that emerging technology should require the smallest amount of attention. Can a user experience be too frictionless and hands-off?
For example, the minimal maintenance and attention needed by users of smart home cameras is often portrayed as a positive development. These devices like the Amazon Ring and Google Nest capture video 24–7 or when…
