Trust-M newsletter No. 1

Trust-M is a project funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC) that investigates the development of inclusive and reliable digital services for migrants in Finland. We are specifically investigating how trust in services is created and how to support the creation of trust appropriate to the situation. The second three-year funding period has just started, and with it we are shifting our focus more to disseminating and publicizing the research results.

Our project consists of different work packages:
Trust: (lead: Johanna Ylipulli) examines how people come to trust – or lose their trust in – AI‑supported digital public services in the Nordic welfare state context, with a particular focus on the experiences of migrants. It compares how authorities and institutions define and frame digital services with migrants’ everyday user experiences of these services. The identified tensions help to concretise how the services can be improved. In addition, the work package has unpacked the concept of trust into a form that makes it easier to apply in service development. Politics and Law: (lead: by Aaro Tupasela), investigates how law, policy, ethics, and sociotechnical design interact in the development of AI-assisted public services in Finland, especially in relation to migrant integration; by comparing local practices with national socio-technical imaginaries, it helps define the conceptual and normative requirements for later technical work. Service Design: (lead: Thomas Olsson), designs hybrid public services to support migrants’ integration, translating social-scientific insights into practical solutions through participatory methods in close collaboration with the City of Espoo. Digital opportunities: (lead: Tom Bäckström), develops technologies that enable trustworthy and inclusive services, with a focus on speech technologies and AI. The work packages collaborate closely with one another and with the City of Espoo, and Collaboration: (lead: Sanna Lindholm), coordinates the research collaboration with the city.

Get in touch if you are interested in hearing more! You can reach out to our interaction coordinator: ville-veikko.minkkinen@aalto.fi or other personnel.

Privacy in Speech Technology
AI has been used in the preparation of this summary.

This article discusses speech technology, such as voice-controlled devices and speech recognition, as well as related privacy issues. Speech is the most natural way for humans to communicate, which is why services based on speech are easy and attractive. At the same time, speech always contains a lot of private information: what we say, but also collateral information, such as hints about health, emotional state, background, and relationships. This information can be misused, for example, for price increases, harassment, blackmail, or stalking.

The article explains in an understandable way the types of privacy threats associated with speech technology, the methods available to protect users’ privacy, how the effectiveness of these methods is measured, how people perceive speech privacy, and what societal and legal consequences there are.
Additionally, the article presents the areas in which new solutions and further development are most urgently needed.

The original article was written by Tom Bäckström
The publication is available at: https://doi.org/10.1109/JPROC.2025.3632102

Migrants’ perceptions of ai-driven chatbots in public services: potentials and concerns for inclusion
AI has been used in the preparation of this summary.

This article examines immigrants’ views on AI chatbots in public services in Finland. Based on interviews, most participants were not familiar with public sector chatbots or had used them only sparingly, and their attitude was cautious. On the other hand, many were familiar with ChatGPT. Although experienced users learn to assess the reliability of responses, concerns were related to the dehumanization of services and excessive trust. The results highlight both the opportunities and challenges of AI services, as well as the need for inclusive, transparent, and culturally sensitive solutions.

The original article was written by Zahra Hosseini
The publication is available at: Migration-Muuttoliike Vol 51 Nro 2 (2025) s 4-9

In this interview, Tom Bäckström discusses perspectives related to the security of speech technologies based on his article:
Your voice gives away valuable personal information, so how do you keep that data safe?

When developing public services, the needs of minorities can easily be overlooked. For this reason, the project aimed to ensure that the perspectives of residents with immigrant backgrounds were genuinely included in the development process, as we believe that co-creation results in more inclusive, user-friendly, and reliable digital services and solutions that benefit the entire community. A good example is the redesign of the ”Welcome to Espoo” postcard, which was inspired by the design work of immigrants themselves, demonstrating that participation strengthens when the community’s expertise and voice are present throughout the process. We developed methods to enhance inclusion so that parents caring for children at home could participate in the development. Learn more about our co-creation methods in the Muuttoliike magazine: Migration-Muuttoliike Vol 51 Nro 2 (2025) s 10-13

Integration and coping in the Finnish society often come down to digital skills – they determine who can access services, understand their rights, and act independently. When digital systems are assumed to be neutral, the responsibility for failures shifts to individuals, even though the problem often lies in the system itself.
Digitaalinen osallisuus ei ole taito – se on vallan rakenne maahanmuuttajien kotoutumisessa (LinkedIn profile required to access the text)
Original text was written by: Artëm Kuosti, DigiUp- toiminnan päällikkö, Moniheli

Sanna Wong-Toropainen’s blog post describes how the EU’s five key digital regulations are shaping data management by increasing data accessibility to foster innovation and particularly the development of artificial intelligence, while aiming to protect fundamental rights, such as privacy. The post examines the tension between broader data utilization and sufficient safeguards through both the EU AI regulation and Finland’s current legislative reforms.
The Role of EU data regulations in building trust in digital services
Original text was written by: Sanna Wong-Toropainen

Participate in a study on Digital Participatory Platforms:
The City of Espoo is piloting a digital participatory platform called Voxit, that enables the City of Espoo to hear residents’ views and better identify their wishes and viewpoints. As part of this pilot, we are looking for participants to be interviewed on their experiences with the platform! The study began on 2.2.2026.

The link to the platform and more information can be found here: https://www.espoo.fi/fi/osallistu-ja-vaikuta/voxit-anna-aanesi-kuulua-paatoksenteossa#liikunta–ja-hyvinvointilautakunnan-ptksenteko–jrjestavustukset–keskustelu-22—2222026-79195

Please fill the form on the platform and we will contact you to book a time if you are selected. An interview will take approximately one hour, and will be either online or in-person, depending on your preference. In exchange for your time, we will gift every participant a 20 euro coupon for Espresso House.

This interview is conducted as part of a research study between Aalto University and the City of Espoo. We are looking to understand your experiences with using the Voxit platform, and how it affects your relationship with the City.

For any further clarifications, you may contact Uttishta Varanasi (Aalto University): uttishta.varanasi@aalto.fi / +358 50 4117833

Summary of the ETMU conference we organized:
At the end of last year, on 13–14 November 2025, Trust-M had the privilege of organizing the annual ETMU conference at the University of Helsinki. The event brought together more than 120 registered participants from multiple countries, including scholars, policymakers, students, and practitioners.

The sessions were vibrant, and discussions often continued into the coffee breaks. Keynotes by Professor Karolina Follis and Associate Professor Amanda Paz Alencar provided interesting insights to lead us into the sessions of the day. An important theme which was covered in several sessions was the role that technologies can play in both facilitating and excluding individuals from integration and participation. Art and interactive workshops were another important element at the conference, which helped highlight the importance of creating new ways of expression and dialogue within academia and stakeholders. The conference provided an excellent opportunity for networking and exchanging ideas around the theme of Breaking (digital) barriers: Designing and conceptualizing technologies of inclusive societies.

The organizer of next year’s ETMU conference is Mobile Futures – Research Consortium. We look forward to seeing the event continue to grow and inspire!

Read more about the ETMU organization here: What is ETMU? – ETMU
Read more about the Mobile Futures – Research Consortium here: Mobile Futures – About