Design for Responsible Use of Surveillance Cameras in Public Space

Abstract

Surveillance cameras have become increasingly prevalent in public areas worldwide, including in Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, the number and intensity of surveillance cameras in public spaces, such as streets, parks, and plazas, have reportedly increased, even in locations where they were already well-established. In addition to the growing number of cameras, they are now appearing in new contexts, such as billboards, and in new forms, such as those equipped with ANPR technology. As a result, individuals in urban areas are likely to have their images captured multiple times daily as they engage in routine activities in public spaces. While the installation of these cameras is purported to serve various purposes, such as deterring crime, prosecuting criminals retroactively, and making people feel safer, significant concerns have been raised about the potential for their irresponsible use, including concerns about the violation of individuals’ privacy, potential threat to civil liberties, and unjustified purpose of using cameras.

The current master's graduation project aims to comprehensively understand the responsible use of surveillance cameras through three phases of empirical investigations. The first phase seeks a deeper comprehension of the broader socio-technical context within which surveillance cameras are situated. Through expert interviews, two theoretical mapping representations of the context have been generated. Next, the second phase aims to comprehend the responsible use of surveillance cameras by understanding the values of key stakeholders, in which a set of value similarities and tensions among key stakeholders have been identified through a stakeholder survey study. Finally, the last phase of this project aims to develop a comprehensive set of evaluation criteria for the assessment of a broad spectrum of design concepts that pertain to the responsible use of surveillance cameras in urban public spaces.