Deciding Who Counts in the Smart City

Seminar by Rachel Franklin

This is a collection with a report and the presentation slides of a seminar by Rachel Franklin at AMS Institute.

Much attention is given to fairness and equity in the smart city, whether algorithmic bias, surveillance or socio-economic inclusion. This talk directs attention to an explicitly spatial component of the smart city apparatus: sensor networks and the emergence of coverage gaps—or sensor deserts. How are cities and other stakeholders to make decisions about placement and where does coverage of vulnerable groups and places fit in? The talk provides a conceptual overview of the sensor location-spatial inequality dilemma, gives a case study example from Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom, introduces a decision support tool prototype, and concludes with some thoughts for both researchers and those on the ground working with smart city sensor networks, including local governments, policymakers, and community groups.