Participant Consent Form
Please read the study information and record your choices below. You must confirm every compulsory statement to join the research study. Optional choices will not affect your ability to take part.
Study details
Phase 1 — Digital Diary Study
Recognising Harm: Co-Designing Accountability in Facial Recognition Technologies
- Lead researcher
- Prof. Kyle Montague — kyle.montague@northumbria.ac.uk
- Co-investigator
- Dr Reem Talhouk — reem.talhouk@northumbria.ac.uk
- Project collaborator
- Dr Hannah Saunders, Face Equality International — hannah.saunders@faceequalityinternational.org
- Ethics reference
- #15450
- Independent contact for concerns or complaints
- Prof. Shaun Lawson, Northumbria University — shaun.lawson@northumbria.ac.uk
Participant Information Sheet
Participant Information Sheet: Phase 1 — Digital Diary Study, v1.0
We are inviting you to take part in a diary study about your experiences with facial recognition technology (FRT). This includes any technology that uses your face—to unlock devices, verify your identity, apply filters, or organise photos.
You have been invited because you identify as someone with a visible difference or facial disfigurement. We want to hear directly from people whose experiences are often overlooked in technology design.
We ask you to keep a diary of your experiences with facial recognition technology over the study period. Whenever you encounter FRT—whether it works, fails, or causes you difficulty—we'd like you to record your experience. You can write your entries using this app. There's no required number of entries—some days you might add several, other days none. The diary is flexible to fit your life. When you're ready, you can choose to share individual diary entries with our research team.
Participation is entirely voluntary. You can withdraw at any time without giving a reason. Any entries you haven't shared with us will remain private. If you withdraw, submitted records will be marked withdrawn and excluded from future exports and analysis. Information already anonymised, included in completed aggregate analysis, or published cannot be removed.
Your diary entries will help us understand the real-world impact of FRT on the facial difference community. We may quote from your entries in research outputs, but you will never be identified. All data will be stored securely and processed in accordance with data protection regulations. Diary entries stored on your device remain under your control.
Your participation will contribute to evidence that can drive change—helping technology companies and policymakers understand why FRT must be designed inclusively. This research is led by Northumbria University in partnership with Face Equality International.
Reflecting on negative experiences may bring up difficult feelings. You are in control of what you share and can stop at any time. If you need support, we can connect you with Face Equality International's community resources.
If you have any questions about this study, please contact the research team at kyle.montague@northumbria.ac.uk
Data protection information
I understand how Northumbria University will process my personal data, and that this information will be used only for the purposes set out in the Participant Information Sheet supplied to me. My consent to participate in this study is conditional upon the University complying with its duties and obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018, which incorporates the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). You can find out more about how we use your information in the Research Participant Privacy Notice.