SEMINAR:Rethinking Security Behavior Through Diversity and Inclusion
Guest: Yixin Zou, Max-Planck Institute for Security and Privacy
Title: Rethinking Security Behavior Through Diversity and Inclusion (CS, DS, EE, IE)
Date/Time: December 10, 2025, 13:40
Location: https://sabanciuniv.zoom.us/j/
Abstract: Human-centered security research has explored security behaviors in depth—whether creating strong passwords, adopting two-factor authentication, or using virtual private networks. However, the adoption of these practices varies widely across individuals and communities. Why do these differences occur, and how can we address them when designing cybersecurity interventions and education? In this talk, I will share my group's research on diversity in security behavior from three perspectives. First, diversity in ability: drawing on a year-long engagement with Deaf communities in Germany, we examined their unique security needs and co-designed educational materials with them in German Sign Language. Second, diversity across countries: by systematically comparing security behaviors between populations in the West and the Majority World, we uncovered significant differences in their risk perceptions and practices. Third, diversity in culture—which is often a deeper factor underlying cross-country differences—as we investigated how cultural and social norms shape perceptions of targeted advertising in South Asia, intergenerational discussions about online scams in China, and shared access to critical infrastructure in rural Ghana. I will conclude the talk by highlighting frameworks for conceptualizing diversity in security research, along with methodologies that enable responsible data collection from diverse populations.
Bio: Dr. Yixin Zou (she/her) is a tenure-track faculty member at the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy, where she leads the human-centered security and privacy group. Her research interests span human-computer interaction, privacy, and security, aiming to make technology safer and more equitable for underserved communities. Her research has been recognized with the ACM SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation Award (2024), the John Karat Usable Privacy and Security Student Research Award (2022), and several best paper and honorable mention awards at top venues such as ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing (CHI) and the Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS). Her research has also generated broader impacts on public policy, including the rule-making process for the California Consumer Privacy Act. She earned a Ph.D. in Information from the University of Michigan in 2022.