Exploring the Privacy and Security Challenges Faced by Migrant Domestic Workers in Chinese Smart Homes
Shijing He, Xiao Zhan, Yaxiong Lei, Yueyan Liu, Ruba Abu-Salma, Jose Such
TL;DR
This paper investigates privacy and security challenges faced by migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Chinese multi-user smart homes through 31 in-depth interviews with MDWs and agency staff. It reveals how Confucian values, collectivism, and evolving legal frameworks shape privacy perceptions, power dynamics, and surveillance practices, often privileging employers and clients over MDWs. The study identifies three main challenges—persistent surveillance and power imbalances, limited agency support, and weak legal protections—and documents coping strategies ranging from direct negotiation to resigned acceptance. It offers concrete recommendations for agencies and policymakers to improve transparency, contract clarity, training, and data protection, aiming to safeguard MDWs’ privacy and labor rights in China’s rapidly digitalizing domestic work landscape.
Abstract
The growing use of smart home devices poses considerable privacy and security challenges, especially for individuals like migrant domestic workers (MDWs) who may be surveilled by their employers. This paper explores the privacy and security challenges experienced by MDWs in multi-user smart homes through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 26 MDWs and 5 staff members of agencies that recruit and/or train domestic workers in China. Our findings reveal that the relationships between MDWs, their employers, and agencies are characterized by significant power imbalances, influenced by Chinese cultural and social factors (such as Confucianism and collectivism), as well as legal ones. Furthermore, the widespread and normalized use of surveillance technologies in China, particularly in public spaces, exacerbates these power imbalances, reinforcing a sense of constant monitoring and control. Drawing on our findings, we provide recommendations to domestic worker agencies and policymakers to address the privacy and security challenges facing MDWs in Chinese smart homes.