SoK: Safer Digital-Safety Research Involving At-Risk Users
Rosanna Bellini, Emily Tseng, Noel Warford, Alaa Daffalla, Tara Matthews, Sunny Consolvo
IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy 2024 · Day 1 · Continental Ballroom 4
In an increasingly interconnected world, all technology users face a myriad of digital safety threats, ranging from online harassment and privacy invasions to sophisticated security attacks. However, a specific demographic, termed **at-risk users**—including activists, disabled persons, and children—confront a disproportionately higher likelihood of technology-facilitated abuse and experience more severe harms when such incidents occur. Understanding the unique needs and vulnerabilities of these groups is paramount for developing effective protective solutions. This understanding necessitates empirical research, yet the very act of conducting such research introduces significant safety challenges for both the participants being studied and the researchers themselves.
AI review
This SoK provides a critical, actionable framework for safer digital safety research involving at-risk users. It systematically identifies a pervasive lack of replicable safety practices (83.7% of studies) and offers six concrete strategies, backed by expert consensus and real-world case studies, to mitigate risks for both participants and researchers. This work is essential for elevating ethical standards and methodological rigor in a high-stakes research domain.