The Application of Critical Social Theory to National Security Research Holly Tootell University of Wollongong

Location-Based Services Scope for this research includes: RFID GPS and GIS Mobile service LBS can be used to identify the location of an information device, and in some instances the whereabouts of the user who owns it

National Security Not just terrorism Events of national security can include: National disasters: tsunami, earthquake Border control Transportation security Critical infrastructure protection Intelligence gathering Emergency preparedness

LBS being used for national security EventLocation-Based Service Border controlRFID – passive devices to denote ‘cleared vehicle’ GIS – Unmanned aerial vehicles for image transmission Natural DisasterRFID – to manage victim identification GIS – to estimate damage and target areas Terrorist attackGPS – locating persons at attack site CIPGPS – to monitor potential threats to major landmarks, buildings etc Critical Health Outbreaks RFID – to monitor patients, staff and visitors to hospitals during SARS Mobiles – updates of affected areas

A Critical Approach Where interpretive researchers seek to maintain the status quo (Walsham, 2005), critical researchers seek to emancipate subjects. Particularly in critical IS research, the aim is to expose attempts to “design and (mis)use IS to deceive, manipulate, exploit, dominate and disempower people.” (Cecez-Kecmanovic, 2001).

Critical Social Theory The “primary objective of CST is the improvement of the human condition” (Ngwenyama, 1991). The questioning of the neutrality of technology is essential to understand the social impact of new schemes.

Critical Social Theory Understanding communication perception Systems Acceptance and deployment of LBS national security strategies Lifeworld Technology acceptance Social implications Privacy expectation Role of power and bias Informing and changing Critica l Social Theory Content Analysis Case Studies Lifeworld knowledge for background information Qualitative Research Methodological Approach adapted from Titscher et al 2000 and Cecez-Kecmanovic 2001

Integrating NS and CST In each of the national security technology studies, a particular application of the technology is examined, which allows for an in-depth understanding of the system to occur, But it does not examine the impact these technologies can have when applied outside the realm of national security application.

Content Analysis To uncover reactions and trends September 11 Bali Bombing London Bombing SARS Preliminary results show a wave trend with key points of interest Immediately 3 months 12 months

The Price of Security The Price of Security is a concept that will be used to determine the trade-off that needs to be made when a new location-based technology is implemented as a solution to national security Complete CCTV in cities Biometric identification for passports Curb-to-curb surveillance RFID implants

Conclusion What this research is proposing is a way of understanding the impact LBS will have if applied as solutions to national security issues.

Questions? Holly Tootell School of IT and CS University of Wollongong PhD Research