Design Justice & Digital Security in NYC and Beyond
What is Design Justice?
Design Justice is an approach that centers those who are normally marginalized by design processes. It challenges us to ask: Who gets to design? Who benefits? Who is harmed?
In the realm of digital security, Design Justice principles invite us to reconsider how protection systems are created and who they truly serve. Do our current security approaches strengthen community bonds or weaken them? Do they include everyone or only those with certain privileges?
Your Role Today
You'll explore three scenarios where New York communities face security design choices. There are no right answers—only different values and priorities. Your input will contribute to our understanding of how communities envision their own digital safety.
New York's Digital Security Landscape
As one of the world's most diverse cities, New York faces unique security challenges:
1.5 million New Yorkers lack reliable broadband access
Privacy concerns vary widely across its multicultural communities
Dense housing creates particular security vulnerabilities
Rapid gentrification threatens community information networks
Heavy surveillance disproportionately impacts certain neighborhoods