Cybersecurity 2040: How Smart Systems Protect Us
A video co-created using the design fiction method, depicting a future scenario of smart public communications in cybersecurity, designed to facilitate research and public discussions.
In this video, we explore a future where smart public communication systems shape how people respond to cybersecurity threats. Set within a fictional scenario, the story shows how automated alerts and data driven messages could guide individuals and organisations during digital incidents. From warnings about suspicious activity to advice on protecting personal data, these systems aim to support faster and more informed decisions.
The video invites you to reflect on how much we trust the information we receive and who is responsible for sharing it. It raises questions about privacy, accuracy, and control in a world where digital systems play a central role in communication. While these technologies could help reduce risk and improve awareness, they also introduce new challenges around how information is managed and understood.
Created using a design fiction approach, this video forms part of a wider series designed to support research and discussion. It offers a starting point for thinking about how we want cybersecurity communication to work in the future and what role technology should play.
About the series
Specifically on the theme of cybersecurity, this video is the fourth of a suite of four video resources.
These four videos are a series of fictional scenarios depicting possible futures where smart technologies are used for public communications. They are created as a set of resources to facilitate reflections and discussions in participatory research (including for focus groups, interviews, citizen juries, etc.) as well as engagement activities in smart communications.
The videos are the result of a co-creation process involving relevant stakeholders, including legal and technical experts, policymakers, regulators and civil society organisations, using the design fiction methodology and covering a range of themes explored in a research workshop.
Credits
- Script: Dr Sheli Smith (Research Associate at the University of Sheffield)
- Script: Dr Jiahong Chen (Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Sheffield)
- Animation: Matt Exton (25 Frames Design)
- Special thanks: Mariano delli Santi (Open Rights Group), Dr Maria Tzanou (University of Sheffield), DI Dan Giannasi (North West Cyber Resilience Centre), Dr Cigdem Sengul (Brunel University of London), Dr Sana Belguith (University of Bristol) and Dr Arthi Manohar (Brunel University of London).
- All videos have been published with a CC BY licence as part of the research project “The Internet of Tactical Engagement (IoTE): Acceptability of Data-driven Public Communications in Smart Homes”, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council [ES/Y000020X/1].