Christian van ’t Hof is a senior researcher at the Rathenau Institute, the Dutch office of Technology Assessment. With his background in sociology and electrical engineering, he analyses the relation between human and electronic networks. His research involves RFID, digital skills, network convergence, geodata, virtual communities and robotics, while he compares European and South East Asian perspectives on their developments. Aside from his research he also presents scientific talk shows.

Presentation: “Check in / Check out. Managing your identity in a digitalised public space”

Our public space is increasingly occupied with electronic devices: camera’s, chip card readers, navigation devices, etc. These Technologies help us to find our way, pay, communicate and gain access. At the same time, they enrich our digital identity on where we are and what we do. The rapid adoption of these technologies triggered societal concerns over who is allowed to track who for which purposes. If Google Earth becomes live, who do your want to be: a friend, famous, suspect, a moving dot of an empty spot? Based on case study research in Europe and South East Asia, Van ’t Hof provides a set of design principles for Identity Management in digitalised public places.

Christian van ‘t Hof also chairs the Design Session: “Picture this, Google Earth Live!”