Toward Inclusive Security and Privacy for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People: A Community-Based Interview Study

Abstract

About 5% of the world's population experience disabling hearing loss. Nevertheless, deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) communities remain an understudied and underserved population in security and privacy (S&P) research. We conducted 24 semi-structured interviews with DHH participants (n=17) and their supporters (n=7) in Germany to explore (1) how DHH people perceive S&P risks in assistive technologies, (2) concerns about disclosing their identity and sharing sign language content online, and (3) sources of advice and common challenges. Our findings highlight participants' limited awareness of S&P risks in assistive hearing devices and limited interest in sign language video anonymization tools. DHH participants expressed concerns about identity disclosurewhether voluntary, involuntary, or mediated by third partiesand found existing S&P mechanisms and resources largely inaccessible. As a result, they often relied on trusted networks for support. While supporters were generally willing to help, their limited S&P knowledge, social dynamics within the DHH community, and translation challenges between spoken and sign languages hindered effective information sharing. Our research provides implications for researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers to develop more effective and inclusive S&P tools and resources for DHH communities.