“Smart cities” promise a more efficient, sustainable, and livable urban future through the integration of advanced technologies: sensors monitoring traffic and air quality, smart grids managing energy, and AI optimising public services. While the benefits in convenience and resource management are clear, these interconnected systems also raise significant concerns about privacy and freedom. Extensive data collection, pervasive surveillance, and the potential for centralised control could create environments where every movement and interaction is monitored and analysed. The question arises: does greater efficiency necessarily come at the cost of individual autonomy and anonymity? Balancing technological advancement with citizen rights is crucial for designing truly livable and free smart cities. What’s your biggest concern about living in a “smart city”?
The concept of “utopian experiments gone wrong.”
Published by
on
Antony West (Author) 
Leave a comment