Track Co-chairs
Duy Dang, RMIT University, Vietnam,
Nik Thompson, Curtin University,
Farkhondeh Hassandoust, University of Auckland
Track Description
In line with the 2026 conference theme, this track invites research that critically examines how information security, privacy, ethics, and the dark side of digital technology affect the information systems discipline, and where these may be reshaped by the growing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). We particularly welcome studies that explore the implications of security and ethical issues on academic practices, workplace cultures, and broader societal norms in the digital era. Submissions that reflect on the evolving role of IS research and practice in responding to these grand challenges are especially encouraged.
Emerging cyber threats include increasingly sophisticated scams and social engineering, advanced malware, and adversarial uses of AI. These threats are now amplified by AI-enabled capabilities such as deepfakes, automated phishing, and generative content, which increase the scale, speed, and sophistication of attacks. Risks to organisations are further exacerbated by the unprecedented scale at which information and knowledge are being collected and analysed by organisations and the increased vulnerabilities from the rapid integration of new and complex technologies into the digital environment, such as the internet of things (IoT), and bring your own devices (BYOD), AI-driven systems, and large language models (LLMs).
Despite the societal importance of security and privacy, much prior work has focused on technical issues. Behavioural and organisational level research are in a nascent state. This gap becomes more critical in environments where human interaction with intelligent systems introduces new risks, behaviours, and ethical concerns. This is particularly compelling to address, given the onslaught of security and privacy problems that occur with the current poor state of information security governance, and a lack of understanding of the human psychology of security, as well as complex international laws and regulations. At the same time, it has become apparent that the social and organisational implications of ubiquitous technology are not always positive. This “dark side” of Information Systems can undermine individual well-being through technology-related stresses, addiction, and technology misuse, and is further intensified by AI-driven automation, surveillance, and algorithmic decision-making.
The track welcomes submissions of the following topics, but is not limited to:
- Academic and disciplinary perspectives on the evolving role of security and ethics in IS research and education
- Security, privacy, and ethical challenges in the development, deployment, and governance of AI technologies
- Adoption and use of information security technologies and practices
- Employee insecure behaviours, including insider threats, computer abuse, and shadow security
- Corporate strategies, governance, and management of compliance
- Cross-cultural issues in security and privacy
- Risk analysis, management, and assessment
- Security and privacy concerning social media and other non-work contexts
- Ethics and regulations for security and privacy
- Mitigation and prevention strategies for malware, intrusion detection, forensics, and security for mobile devices
- Adversarial AI, AI-enabled cyber threats, and defensive strategies
- Security and privacy risks in large-scale data analytics and AI models (e.g., LLMs)
- Governance, accountability, and transparency in AI-driven decision-making systems