Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity - College of Information (INFO)

Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity

Examining the human context of privacy and cybersecurity to develop real-world solutions.

Research Projects

Collaborative Research: ER2: Developing Educational Resources for the Ethical Use of Pervasive Data
Principal Investigator(s): Jessica Vitak
Funder: National Science Foundation
Research Areas: Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity > Human-Computer Interaction > Information Justice, Human Rights, and Technology Ethics > Machine Learning, AI, Computational Linguistics, and Information Retrieval > Social Networks, Online Communities, and Social Media
This project develops educational resources and training to promote ethical practices in the collection, storage, and analysis of pervasive data from digital platforms. By creating case studies, interactive modules, and “train the trainer” programs, it aims to enhance responsible research practices among computing students and early-career researchers.
Inclusive ICT Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (TRACE RERC)
Principal Investigator(s): J. Bern Jordan Amanda Lazar Hernisa Kacorri
Funder: Health and Human Services
Research Areas: Accessibility and Inclusive Design > Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity > Human-Computer Interaction
This $4.6M TRACE RERC grant advances research and development to expand accessible information and communication technologies for people with disabilities.
Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Medium: Supporting Privacy Negotiation Among Multiple Stakeholders in Smart Environments
Principal Investigator(s): Jessica Vitak
Funder: National Science Foundation
Research Areas: Data Privacy and Sociotechnical Cybersecurity
Internet-of-Things devices are increasingly used in shared spaces (e.g., homes, apartments, schools, hospitals, workplaces), and different stakeholders in these environments have unique privacy needs and expectations. This project investigates privacy negotiation behaviors in smart environments by designing, developing, and deploying an interactive system to collect people’s real-world privacy negotiation behaviors.

Recent News

Digital map of the United States with glowing connections, representing global connectivity and technology in business.

Photo licensed by Adobe Stock via FEEZAN ALI

SIGNAL Magazine News: A Crucial First Look at the Nation’s Cyber Attack Surfaces (ft. Ido Sivan-Sevilla)

INFO Assistant Professor Ido Sivan-Sevilla leads groundbreaking UMD research mapping county-level cyber vulnerabilities nationwide
School student with VR headset using AI artificial intelligence technology & machine learning.Interactive technology in classroom. Innovation & smart tech. AI blue hologram in education.

Photo licensed by Adobe Stock via DEIB Visuals

WTOP News: Smarter Classrooms, Real Results: How AI is Rewriting the Rules of Education (ft. Charles Harry)

INFO's Charles Harry explores how AI transforms education, enhancing learning, student support, and ethical classroom practices
A silhouetted figure wearing a hood sits in the dark in front of a wall of glowing computer monitors. In the bottom right corner is a logo for "Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson".

Photo credit: Full Measure News (or Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson)

(Video) Full Measure News: Psyops (ft. Jennifer Golbeck)

INFO’s Jen Golbeck sheds light on how algorithms and bot networks fuel online radicalization and deepen social divisions