Towards a social impact assessment of security technologies: A bottom-up approach

Abstract

This paper presents a bottom-up approach to systematising the informal assessment dimensions of security technologies. Drawing on the empirical analysis of different security technology projects within mass transport systems, it shows how decision-making on the development and implementation of security technologies is influenced by the divergent perspectives of the actors and conflicting criteria within those areas. An attempt to sort assessment perspectives is presented. It is argued that the purpose of a structured approach to societal impact assessment (SIA) is particularly to stress conflict and divergent perspectives. Thus, a SIA has to create a space for discussion and negotiation that ensures a continuous enhancement of inter-subjectivity without the compulsion to find consensus at all stages of the R&D process. The overall objective of a SIA of security technologies is to enhance the accountability of decision-making. Copyright The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com, Oxford University Press.