Sustaining consent through agency: a framework for future development

Whilst being addressed in terms of traditional online interactions, the concept of consent has only recently seen attention in respect of pervasive systems. This paper takes the position that consent (online), as it currently stands, is a fiction. It reflects only the most basic requirements of the original concept and, as such, should not be transferred to Ubicomp systems without careful reconfiguration. In a world of pervasive sensors, software agents and tick and click consent, where is the space for human agency? This paper draws on the findings of previous studies to suggest an emerging framework that seeks to move beyond securing consent, to sustaining user agency within the design of Ubicomp systems.