Which Factors Affect Acceptance of Public Space Surveillance? A Systematic Literature Review

Solutions to public space surveillance typically involve the use of progressively advanced technologies, deployed at locations such as cities, neighborhoods, or public transportation hubs. These surveillance technologies are increasingly beginning to use artificial intelligence (AI), and consequently it is a priority for governments and policymakers to consider the effects of the widespread use of these AI-powered surveillance systems for society. However, not enough is currently known about the aspect of societal acceptance for this increased surveillance or the factors that are related to it. Therefore, this study aims to inform the direction of future research into this topic through a systematic review, being the only one to address this particular subject that the authors are aware of, and consequently filling a crucial gap in the literature that can help guide policymakers and practitioners in considering the factors that will first need to be addressed in order to gain the acceptance of citizens and successfully integrate these systems of surveillance into society’s urban spaces. The present study reviews the available literature on this topic. A date range of 2015 onwards was set, resulting in the inclusion of a total of 50 different studies. Citizen acceptance was found to be related to the location of surveillance, the surveillance technology, citizens’ country, individual factors, and perceived barriers, including the trade-off between privacy and security, the effectiveness of the surveillance system, and issues of trust and legitimacy.