2 research outputs found
SoniControl - A Mobile Ultrasonic Firewall
The exchange of data between mobile devices in the near-ultrasonic frequency
band is a new promising technology for near field communication (NFC) but also
raises a number of privacy concerns. We present the first ultrasonic firewall
that reliably detects ultrasonic communication and provides the user with
effective means to prevent hidden data exchange. This demonstration showcases a
new media-based communication technology ("data over audio") together with its
related privacy concerns. It enables users to (i) interactively test out and
experience ultrasonic information exchange and (ii) shows how to protect
oneself against unwanted tracking.Comment: To appear in proceedings of 2018 ACM Multimedia Conference October
22--26, 2018, Seoul, Republic of Kore
Audio beacon technologies, surveillance and social order
This thesis explores audio beacon technology with the aim of elucidating the implications of this technology for the individual in contemporary society. Audio beacons are hidden inside digital devices. They emit and receive high frequency audio signals which are inaudible to the human ear, thereby generating and transmitting data without our knowledge. The motivation for this research is to raise awareness of the prevalence of audio beacon technologies and to explore their implications for contemporary society. The research takes an interdisciplinary approach involving – 1) a survey of audio beacon technology, 2) a contextualization in terms of contemporary theories of surveillance and control and 3) an interpretation in terms of 20th century dystopian literature. The hidden surveillance and privacy of this technology is examined mainly through the humanistic perspective of George Orwell’s book Nineteen Eighty-Four. The general conclusion formed is that audio beacon technologies can serve as a surveillance method enhancing authoritarian and exploitative regimes. To mitigate the negative impacts of audio beacons, this research proposes two types of solutions – 1) individual actions that will have an immediate effect and 2) governmental legislation that can improve privacy in the longer term. Both of these solutions cannot happen without a raised public awareness, towards which this research hopes to make a contribution. Finally, this research introduces the notion of a \u27digital paradox\u27 in which the dystopian worlds of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley are brought together in order to characterize surveillance and control in contemporary society