Computing Reviews
Today's Issue Hot Topics Search Browse Recommended My Account Log In
Review Help
Search
Privacy in mobile and pervasive computing
Langheinrich M., Schaub F., Morgan&Claypool Publishers, San Rafael, CA, 2019. 127 pp. Type: Book (978-1-681731-17-9)
Date Reviewed: Sep 23 2020

Mobile and pervasive computing can offer really valuable benefits, such as making our lives more convenient, efficient, and safe. This is done through tailored and context-aware services that anticipate what we need, as well as where and when we need it. However, this requires a vast increase in the information that is collected, stored, and processed about us, such as our comings and goings and who we really are in minute and revealing detail. If not prevented, third parties with access to that information may use it to our disadvantage without our knowledge, such as denying us an opportunity to which we are entitled. The privacy implications involved in mobile and pervasive computing, and how to deal with them, is the subject of this book.

The book has six chapters. The four chapters sandwiched between a short introductory chapter and a short conclusion chapter form the heart and soul of the book. In a nutshell, chapter 2 discusses in depth what privacy is and why it matters. Chapter 3 discusses the richness of mobile and pervasive computing technologies. Chapter 4 delves into the myriad challenges that these technologies present to privacy. And chapter 5 describes seven principles that can support privacy in the world of mobile and pervasive computing.

Chapter 2 focuses on the complex topic of understanding privacy. The authors examine privacy from three perspectives. The first perspective covers the historical roots of privacy, with an emphasis on the legal aspects. It covers both the past and present, including the recent European Union (EU)-directed General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which went into effect on May 25, 2018. The GDPR expands upon a great deal of earlier work.

The second perspective is on what motivates privacy. This covers arguments for and against privacy. The book cites Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig’s four major drivers for privacy: privacy provides empowerment (as a private property right), utility (as protection from harm, say, financial), dignity, and constraint of power. Roger Clarke is also cited for his work on the philosophical, psychological, sociological, economical, and political benefits of privacy. This includes permissible deviations from the current norms of behavior and thought, which is a hallmark of a free society.

The third perspective focuses on contemporary conceptualizations of privacy. This includes discussion of privacy types (bodily, territorial, communication, and information), privacy states (solitude, intimacy, and anonymity), as well as privacy expectations and a privacy taxonomy.

Chapter 3 provides a detailed overview of mobile and pervasive computing. Mobile computing offers portability and computing power, not only in the commonplace smartphone but in newer forms such as fitness trackers and smartwatches. These untethered computing devices have sensors that make them context-aware of geographical positioning, motion, heart rate, and so on. These devices serve as a platform for application development that takes advantage of these capabilities.

Pervasive computing features embedded and invisible computing that crosses a broad range, from clothing to household appliances to smart buildings to interconnected autonomous cars. This enables comprehensive sensing of user behavior as well as personalized adaption to user needs.

Chapter 4 deals with the privacy implications of mobile and pervasive computing. Three critical areas are data shadowing, automation of data capture, and profiling. Data shadowing represents the digital version of our “analog” reality, such as data about our interactions with others (say, credit card transactions). Among the implications is that the data shadow collected will be permanently stored and, thus, could be used for purposes not envisioned when the data was originally collected. Automatic data capture through continuous sensing raises issues about how consent, an important privacy concept, is handled. Profiling, the third issue, is about using the captured data to predict behavior. The potential for great benefits in the form of better services is the positive side of profiling. The potential for great harm through the vulnerability of manipulation is the negative side.

Chapter 5 first lists three key insights from earlier chapters: privacy is not just “nice to have” because it provides both individual and societal benefits; understanding privacy is challenging; and implementing privacy approaches in mobile and pervasive computing is difficult. The authors then go on to detail seven approaches that collectively create a toolbox for building privacy into mobile and pervasive computing systems.

Any developer or researcher deeply involved with mobile and pervasive computing systems needs to understand the privacy issues associated with those systems. They (along with any other serious students of the subject) should find this book a must-read.

Reviewer:  David G. Hill Review #: CR147067 (2103-0054)
Bookmark and Share
  Featured Reviewer  
 
Security, Integrity, And Protection (H.2.7 ... )
 
 
Security and Protection (C.2.0 ... )
 
 
Security, Integrity, And Protection (H.2.0 ... )
 
Would you recommend this review?
yes
no
Other reviews under "Security, Integrity, And Protection": Date
Security of random data perturbation methods
Muralidhar K., Sarathy R. ACM Transactions on Database Systems 24(4): 487-493, 1999. Type: Article
Apr 1 2000
Towards a configurable security architecture
Olivier M. Data Engineering 38(2): 121-145, 2001. Type: Article
Apr 17 2002
A propositional policy algebra for access control
Wijesekera D., Jajodia S. ACM Transactions on Information and System Security 6(2): 286-325, 2003. Type: Article
May 29 2003
more...

E-Mail This Printer-Friendly
Send Your Comments
Contact Us
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.   Copyright 1999-2024 ThinkLoud®
Terms of Use
| Privacy Policy