Are tutorials and workshops part of the answer?
There’s no easy answer right now to the disturbing trend of domestic abusers using connected smart home tech like smart security cameras and thermostats against their victims.
But a new list published by University College London aims to help point people in the direction of information, tutorials and support organisations should you find yourself in this situation.
The Gender and IOT Resource List (perpetrators tend to be men, victims women) also highlights the ways abusers can use tech like smart home gadgets and wearables, as well as where you can go to get advice. However, UCL makes quite clear, this is not supposed to replace going to the police. It was funded by UCL’s Social Science Plus+ scheme.
Read this: Domestic abuse and the smart home – what can be done
There’s lots of links to online guides, tutorials, explainers as well as organisations that hold live workshops and talks (some country specific to e.g. UK or Australia) – not just on dealing with this kind of abuse but also more generally on digital security and privacy for women and for children specifically. The list will be updated in future as a rolling resource.
It won’t solve everything – part of the problem comes from one person, most often a man, setting up and controlling tech in the home – but it’s one way we can make this sort of thing less likely to be a risk. Get in touch with Leonie Tanczer and team at UCL if you want to add to the Gender and IOT Resource List and let us know in the comments, any resources you’ve found helpful.
