accessoires for the paranoid

An alternative approach to data security.

Data has become a form of power. Which is why  subtle danger lies with our newest connected devices which give away information about their users every day. This series of objects explores ways of how to encounter this inevitable future trend by giving an alternative approach to data security: As our physical environment reads, collects and stores an increasing amount of user information, these four objects produce fake data to blur the digital profile.

Object A: kidding Alexa


Amazon’s echo, the voice assistant for a connected home, reacts to the call of „Alexa“. Thus having to listen at all times, she observes, processes and collects data in her users home whenever switched on. Object A is a sound device to feed Alexa with fake information or numb her when the situation calls for it. One of three modi will play over the headphone if switched on: white noise that lets no information slip through, quests to occupy her with useless tasks or dialogues from movie scenes to let her collect fake information about her user and their common surrounding.

Object B: un-hacking webcams


Anyone with a little sticker on the top center of his laptop is aware that hacking a webcam is not hard, neither for the nerd next door nor NSA. Object C takes the principle of a fault toy camera and applies it to data security by displaying different scenes through the glance of the webcam.

Object C: leaving fault traces


Connected to any computer, Object B will generate fake data online. On the push of the button, a random algorithm will create site specific content on websites like google, facebook, youtube, twitter or amazon. Concentrating on the site specific individualities, the libraries in the code will be unpredictably completed with functions like for instance the auto completion of google search, the vast collection of emojis on twitter, etc.

Object D: blurring patterns


As a parasite to any connected device that is able to collect data, object D will push their buttons randomly if activated, thus creating blurred user patterns during night time or when not actually home.

Köln, 2018


Produced in polysterol, programmed with arduino and processing, realized through several microcontrollers and electronic actors.


Thank you for this great collaboration to the amazing Katja Trinkwalder!


exhibited at:

KISDparcours2017, Köln

© Pia-Marie Stute 2018  |  Thanks for your visit!