Security, privacy'); drop table users; - and forced trust in the information age?: When trusting an information system is not optional and why it matters

Abstract

In this study, we discuss forced trust in the context of information systems, information society and surveillance. Trust definitions and concepts pertinent to the discussion are examined and portrayed with case examples of forced trust in different situations that are central to the information society. As forced trust appears mostly in governmental information systems, we reflect the concept from security and privacy point-of-view, concepts that are important for users of such systems in the current age of information. We portray the trust landscape of critical governmental information systems and discuss forced trust also in the context of Internet infrastructure and mass surveillance. We provide a glimpse of an information society that combines security, trust, and privacy, while also providing discussion on what kind of trust dynamics such a utopia would require.