MOBILITY AND THE CITY IOT, SMART TECHNOLOGY AND BIG DATA The emergence of other types of smart technology such as mobile applications, social media platforms, traffic information, mapping systems, CCTV footage, data generated from the Internet of Things, etc. have the potential to change the way cities are planned, run and exploited as a resource. These pieces of technology generate huge amounts of data, the so called Big Data - datasets so large or complex that traditional data processing applications are inadequate. How buildings operate and how much resources they consume, how we travel, where we go, how long it takes us to get there and what routes we choose, where we shop, what we shop, what we search for, what we discuss about, who we date, who our friends are, all of this data and more is being captured and utilised by private corporations and to a lesser extent by the public sector. This data can be used, for example, to improve service delivery and efficiencies, to increase public participation, to improve design approaches and create more responsive responses to planning and to improve sustainability.
Shared Urban Space. Image credit: Author
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CITY OBSERVER | June 2016
However it also raises new dilemmas and generates problems of its own: Who should own the data we ourselves are producing when we use social media platforms and mobile applications? Who should own the data generated by the IoT? Who should own pieces of smart infrastructure which are being created such as Google maps? How can cities retain control over these pieces of technology and ensure they will be used towards the common good instead of enabling profitability driven large corporations from owning this infrastructure? How much of our private lives are we willing to open to these corporations? These are questions which highlight the importance of open data, but do local governments and local organisations even have the skills, budgets and pieces of equipment to create and manage this technology? If we are to create a smart city which is effectively connected, truly sustainable, green and enjoyable and which represents an equal and transparent society, open to challenge, change and not just profit making, the public sector needs to become much more proactive and engaged in these fields, act with leadership and take the necessary steps to ensure this technology actually delivers better towns and cities.