A Defense of Friction—Or Why Ubiquitous Computing Should not Recede to the Background

The idea that friction is problematic and artefacts which draw attention to themselves are inefficient has significantly influenced how we think about ubiquitous computing. This paper shows that friction’s ambivalent nature as something that enables, and limits activity makes it an inescapable topic for design and an effective hermeneutical tool for approaching the relationship between complexity and privacy. We argue that by striving to make smart devices “self-effacing” and “seamless”, designers are bringing more underlying complexities and dangers for users. We contend the main challenge of designers is not avoiding or disguising frictions but helping users understand them and manage them. Finally, we argue that when balancing the unavoidable trade-offs between privacy and ease of use that seem to be intrinsic to ubiquitous computing, designers cannot continue to rely on legislation but adopt an ethical stance as a critical aspect of their practice.