Bridging the Gap: Towards Advancing Privacy and Accessibility

Welcome to Our ASSETS 2023 Workshop!

All technology, including accessibility tools, have privacy concerns. However, little attention has been given to privacy issues affecting disabled people compared to non-disabled individuals, and common privacy techniques are often inaccessible. The accessibility and privacy communities may sometimes feel distant from each other. 

We aim to bridge the gap between accessibility and privacy by inviting researchers, experts, and activists to discuss how can we build technologies that are both accessible and privacy-preserving. In our one-day workshop at ASSETS 2023, we will explore and address questions such as understanding the potential conflicts between access needs and privacy concerns, integrating privacy and accessibility frameworks, and anticipating AI-related unintended consequences. Specifically, we would like to discuss the following questions:

• What new insights can be gained by identifying and examining the various types of accessibility and privacy issues that arise across emerging applications, such as generative AI and VR?

• How can privacy-by-design and accessibility-by-design frameworks be seamlessly integrated into the full-stack development of privacy-preserving features to prevent potential conflicts and address accessibility issues effectively?

• What potential unintended consequences may occur as a result of AI technologies designed for privacy preservation, and what measures can be taken to anticipate and prevent them?

• How might both accessibility and privacy researchers consider intersectional needs (e.g., race, gender, and sexuality) in their design process? 

Apply to Participate

We welcome all submissions on research at the intersection of accessibility and privacy. Industry practitioners, policy experts, and activists are especially encouraged to apply! 

Our workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 18th, at 9 AM to 12 PM (PST) on Zoom. If you're interested in participating, please complete this Google form which includes an optional 500-1000 word position paper. The optional position paper may answer one of the questions the workshop aims to address, summarize their previous research on privacy and accessibility, or propose future research on privacy and accessibility. If accepted, at least one author of each accepted paper must attend and register for the workshop. Deadline to submit is on October 8th (AOE).  

Organizers

Workshop Structure

The workshop structure is designed for a three-hour virtual session on Zoom, featuring breakout rooms for small group discussions and sharing with the larger group. The schedule is adaptable to participant preferences and access needs.

Introductions (20 minutes):

We will introduce the workshop’s agenda, motivation, and commitment to access. We will invite participants to share research interests, expectations, and desired outcomes. Then, we will break out participants into different groups for Activity 1.

Activity 1: Speculative Design (45 minutes):

Drawing from Casey Fiesler's Black Mirror Writers Room, participants craft Black Mirror episode summaries imagining future tech's privacy and accessibility harms. 

Sharing Insights from Breakout Room 1 (20 minutes):

Groups present their Black Mirror episodes. Participants can switch to other breakout rooms that could be more aligned with their interests.

Access Needs Check & Break (10 minutes)

Activity 2: Understanding Accessibility & Privacy Concerns (30 minutes):

Participants analyze futuristic tech's users and purposes, exploring potential privacy concerns, risks, and trade-offs for disabled individuals.

Break (10 minutes)

Activity 3: Imagining Accessible Privacy Solutions (25 minutes):

Participants reflect on privacy technologies or regulations for discussed tech, considering introduced accessibility barriers and their solutions.

Break (10 minutes)

Sharing Insights from Activities 2 & 3 (20 minutes)

Break (10 minutes)

Next Steps (30 minutes):

Concluding remarks, brainstorming sharing strategies within accessibility and privacy communities, and inviting ongoing discussion on Discord.

Resources

• SIGACCESS Accessible Writing Guide

• Accessible PDF Author Guide (Adobe)