Abstract
As modern technologies have increased in sophistication and invasiveness, users have expressed concerns about confidentiality and ethical issues regarding contemporary technologies such as artificial intelligence, facial recognition, social robots, big data, and location-sharing apps. As a result, the term “creepy technologies” has been used to describe these concerns. This chapter seeks to review relevant literature for this area of study and offer interventions for individual users, teams, and organizations.
TopBackground
Examples of creepy technology found in the literature are numerous and are enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT). Creepy technologies include location sharing applications (Moreau, 2019; Phinnemore et al., 2023), facial recognition technology (Cuador, 2017; Reidenberg, 2014; Seberger et al., 2024; Symanovich, 2018), always-listening voice assistants (Ford & Palmer, 2019; Mou & Meng, 2024; Phinnemore et al., 2023), social media (McWhorter et al., in-press). Also found were the convergence of big data (Marr, 2016), the Internet of Things (IoT; Bennett & McWhorter, 2014; O'Hagan et al., 2023), artificial intelligence (AI) (Kaplan, 2016; Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, 2024; Larrey, 2017; McCarthy et al., 1955; McWhorter, 2023; Sulleyman, 2017) and social robots (Fitter et al., 2021; McWhorter & Bennett, 2021; Reig et al., 2021), including AI robots (Baldwin, 2019; Ischen et al., 2020; Mou & Meng, 2024), among others. These technologies have the capacity to evoke discomfort and human questioning about the ethical use of personal data.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Smishing: A fraud attempt conducted via text message in which scammers impersonate organizations to obtain personal information or money.
Location Sharing Applications: A mobile device application that allows users to share their location in real-time
Phishing: A fraud attempt conducted via email in which scammers impersonate organizations to obtain personal information or money.
Convergence of Big Data: the coming together of large data sets and machine learning
AI Robot: A man-made machine that can reproduce some elements of human intellectual ability such as solving problems, memorizing facts, gathering information through sensors
Artificial Intelligence: The capability of a computer to mimic human behavior or machine learning
Vishing: A fraud attempt conducted via voice through the phone in which scammers impersonate organizations to obtain personal information or money.
Facial Recognition: Technology utilizing biometrics to recognize a human face
Digital Voice Assistant: Technology activated by speaking the name of the assistant to activate commands such as writing emails or messages, placing phone calls, reading content from various mediums (such as email, websites or messages), or turning on lights or music.
Creepy Technology: Technology that evokes feeling or belief that privacy may be invaded in an unethical or discomforting manner.