Citizen Participation | Responsible Scanning and Recognition

Source: City of Amsterdam (2024), Responsable Scanning and Recognition. Citizen Participation and Design Sessions in the city of Amsterdam. (Paper in Dutch)

Introduction

In 2024, the Computer Vision Team (CVT) of the City of Amsterdam launched an innovative citizen participation project to explore and develop responsible use of scanning technologies in public spaces. This project aims to combine technological advances with social acceptance by actively involving citizens in the design and implementation of technologies such as the 'scan bike' - a bicycle equipped with cameras to scan and recognize objects in the city. The project focuses on safeguarding privacy and citizens' rights and is set up in collaboration with knowledge partners such as the Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA), TU Delft, AMS institute and Civic AI.

Project background and vision

The CFT was founded with the mission to develop new technologies that contribute to the management and maintenance of public space. The 'scan bicycle' plays a central role in this. This bicycle, equipped with cameras and advanced recognition software, is able to detect and locate objects such as construction containers, construction scaffolding and portable toilets. The project's vision is not only to achieve functional objectives, but also to apply the technology in a socially responsible manner, while respecting privacy and social concerns.

Objectives of citizen participation

The citizen participation project revolves around the involvement of Amsterdam residents. The CFT has formulated three strategic goals:

1. Mapping citizens' interests and needs - By exploring residents' concerns and expectations, the CFT can better align technology with the city's values.

2. Co-creation for optimal service delivery - Citizens and knowledge partners play an active role in co-creating technology solutions so that they are not only effective, but also socially accepted.

3. Increasing transparency and control - This project provides insight into the design and use of technology and gives citizens a voice in decision-making.

Participatory activities and design sessions.

To achieve these goals, a comprehensive participation approach was followed with several activities.

• Survey of camera images (August 2023) 862 members of the Research & Statistics panel participated in a survey on the use of camera images. Nearly 90% are familiar with scanning cars for parking controls. Smartphones are perceived as disruptive, while scan cars and police cameras are less so. Respondents cite security as a benefit, but privacy concerns are also present. About 66% are positive about scanning cars, and a majority think it is important that people and license plates are made unrecognizable on camera images. Overall, most respondents are positive about scan cars, but privacy remains a major concern. This survey was not only conducted to gauge the opinions of Amsterdam residents, but also used to recruit our physical resident panel.
• Kick-off Meeting (February 2024) The kick-off meeting on February 9 brought together ten residents and representatives of five knowledge institutions. Here the project was introduced and citizens were invited to share their views. Lively discussions ensued about privacy, the role of the municipality in safeguarding citizens' rights, and the risk of possible misuse of technology by other agencies. This initial meeting laid the groundwork for further engagement and understanding of citizens' expectations.
• Design sessions (April - June 2024) During these months, the CFT organized a series of design sessions together with a service designer and partners from the HvA. These sessions focused on co-creation: citizens and partners contributed ideas on the design and functionality of the scan bike. Some of the main themes that emerged were:
  • Privacy and data minimization: Various scenarios were discussed to minimize data collection. For example, four options were developed that ranged from extensive image storage to only location data. The focus was on a balance between necessary data collection and privacy protection.
  • Recognizability of the scan bike: To make the scan bike clearly recognizable to the public, participants provided input on visual aspects such as stickers, QR codes and colors.
  • Information provision: Participants also discussed ways to better inform Amsterdam residents about the scan bike and its functionality. Ideas were developed to make citizens aware of the purpose and operation of the bike, for example through information on the municipality's website.
• Street experiment (July 2024) In a street experiment, the HvA observed the reactions of Amsterdam citizens to the scan bike in public space. The experiment provided insight into how citizens reacted and showed that many residents were not fully aware of the bicycle's function. The study highlighted the need for visible, accessible information for citizens, both through physical features on the bike and online.

Evaluation and lessons learned

The first six months of the project showed that the participatory approach not only provided valuable input to the CFT, but also strengthened confidence in technology adoption. Some key insights include:

• Early involvement as a basis for trust: Early and active involvement helps create trust. Citizens appreciated being able to participate and influence the development of the scanning bike.
• Clear influence and control: Residents value clarity about the level of influence they can exercise. An agile working method, with frequent review sessions, proved effective for gathering input. This dynamic approach allowed the CFT to respond quickly to resident feedback, which kept the process transparent and flexible. Thus, trust in the project was strengthened.
• Ethical guidelines and advisory request: The idea of adding an "ethical leaflet" to technology products such as the scanning bicycle was discussed. An advisory request was added to the administrative decision-making process. This document should make clear to the board what opportunities and concerns residents have and what the CFT is doing to take advantage of these opportunities and address concerns.
• Innovation through co-creation: The design sessions produced innovative ideas. For example, the citizen panel recommended adding visible indicators such as lights and recognizable stickers on bicycles.
• Effective communication and accessibility: The sessions revealed that existing communication channels were sometimes less suitable for all citizens. Alternative tools such as WhatsApp and email were considered more user-friendly. Accessible communication promotes engagement and understanding.

Conclusions and recommendations

The CFT citizen participation project and design sessions demonstrate that technology development within the city benefits from an inclusive and transparent approach. This project provided important insights for the use of scanning technology in public spaces:

• Technology and social acceptance: Citizens feel more heard and involved in technological developments when they can participate and influence from the beginning.
• Privacy and transparency as core values: By embracing privacy safeguards and transparency as core values, the municipality gains the trust of its citizens.
• Blurring as a Service (BaaS): With further technology rollout, clear privacy measures are crucial, such as automatic blurring of recognizable objects and people to protect privacy.
• Implementation and future technological innovations: The successful collaboration with the citizen panel provides a solid foundation for future technology initiatives. By continuing to invest in participation and co-creation, the municipality can combine innovation with social responsibility.

Future vision

With these practical experiences, the Municipality of Amsterdam can continue to build on technologies that are both functional and socially responsible. The CFT will continue to innovate with an eye for privacy and civil rights, in collaboration with citizens and knowledge institutions. The successful citizen participation approach provides a sustainable model for inclusive technology development within the city, putting Amsterdam at the forefront of responsible urban management and public technology.

Learn more

Interested in learning more about the scan bike and the Responsible Scanning and Recognition Collaboration? Send an e-mail to the Computer Vision Team, cvt@amsterdam.nl.

The algorithm registry on object recognition public space containers
Information about BaaS(Blurring as a Service)
The algorithm register about BaaS
The scanfiets amsterdam.nl/scanfiets