Democratising Emerging Technologies: Using Deliberative Methods to Develop Citizen-Informed Research on Distributed Acoustic Sensing

Citizens rarely have a say on how technology is developed, implemented, or utilised. This paper explores how citizens negotiate their role in shaping novel technological infrastructures, raising questions about democratic accountability, representativity, and the distribution of power in technology governance. We focus on the emerging technology of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), using a citizens’ panel as case study to understand the concerns and priorities of citizens regarding this technology. DAS is a remote sensing technology able to transform dormant underground fibre-optic cables (called dark fibres) into monitoring infrastructure, detecting disturbances in the form of pressure waves at large distances and at high resolution. DAS is already being used to detect vibrations caused by pipe leaks and seismic activity, and its capabilities for monitoring traffic or for security purposes, amidst other uses, is still emerging. As this technology continues to develop, the recording of such environmental vibrations thus raises serious ethical and governance concerns. For example, personal data could be obtained or profited from, yet DAS has so far been overlooked by regulatory bodies and industry alike. As part of the SOUNDSCALE project, we worked in collaboration with the National Centre for Social Research to convene a citizens’ panel of 50 residents from Southampton and London. We used quotas to ensure that the panel would be as representative as possible, with an emphasis on young people and those from minoritised communities, who tend to have low rates of participation in political activities. Over three workshops, the panellists learned about how distributed acoustic sensing works and facilitators used deliberative methods to guide them to come up with five priority areas for investigation: the environment; city infrastructure; surveillance and crime; cost and governance; health and equality. The citizens’ panel revealed a great number of insights into how people view technology and the role it plays in their lives and their local community. Several themes emerged around the purpose of DAS and whether its use is justified, and there was notable concern regarding who would benefit and profit from it. Discussions also centred around safety, data protection, and transparency. The impact of DAS on the environment was also a key concern, alongside its potential to be monopolised by private companies or to be unleashed as the ultimate Big Brother. The paper will also include discussion around the challenges of designing and developing citizen-informed research, especially for an unheard-of technology. Citizens often misunderstood the purpose of the SOUNDSCALE project and our research agenda, or misinterpreted DAS infrastructure. Participants also tended to prioritise irrelevant ideas, such as the use of DAS for medicinal purposes like curing cancer. As we reflect on the difficulty of integrating citizen participation in the research of emerging technologies at an early stage, we conclude with a consideration of the implications for democratic research and the evolution and execution of novel technologies.