#Data

The 10th episode in the series Better cities: The contribution of digital technology deals with the impact of ethical principles on four pillars of digitization: accessibility, software, infrastructure and data.

In the previous episode, I discussed design principles - guidelines and values - for digital technology. The report of the Rathenau Instituut Opwaarderen - Borgen van publieke waarden in de digitale samenleving concludes that government, industry, and society are still insufficiently using these principles. Below, I will consider their impact on four pillars of digitization: accessibility, software, infrastructure, and data. The next episodes will be focused on their impact on frequently used technologies.

Accessibility

Accessibility refers to the availability of high-speed Internet for everyone. This goes beyond just technical access. It also means that a municipality ensures that digital content is understandable and that citizens can use the options offered. Finally, everyone should have a working computer.

Free and safe Internet for all residents is a valuable amenity, including Wi-Fi in public areas. Leaving the latter to private providers such as the LinkNYC advertising kiosks in New York, which are popping up in other cities as well, is a bad thing. Companies such as Sidewalk Labs tempt municipalities by installing these kiosks for free. They are equipped with sensors that collect a huge amount of data from every device that connects to the Wi-Fi network: Not only the location and the operating system, but also the MAC address. With the help of analytical techniques, the route taken can be reconstructed. Combined with other public data from Facebook or Google, they provide insight into personal interests, sexual orientation, race, and political opinion of visitors.

The huge internet that connects everything and everyone also raises specters, which have to do with privacy-related uncertainty and forms of abuse, which appeared to include hacking of equipment that regulates your heartbeat.

That is why there is a wide search for alternatives. Worldwide, P2P neighborhood initiatives occur for a private network. Many of these are part of The Things Network. Instead of Wi-Fi, this network uses a protocol called LoRaWAN. Robust end-to-end encryption means that users don't have to worry about secure wireless hotspots, mobile data plans, or faltering Wi-Fi connectivity. The Things Network manages thousands of gateways and provides coverage to millions of people and a suite of open tools that enable citizens and entrepreneurs to build IoT applications at a low cost, with maximum security and that are easy to scale.

Software

Computer programs provide diverse applications, ranging from word processing to management systems. Looking for solutions that best fit the guidelines and ethical principles mentioned in the former episode, we quickly arrive at open-source software, as opposed to proprietary products from commercial providers. Not that the latter are objectionable in advance or that they are always more expensive. The most important thing to pay attention to is interchangeability (interoperability) with products from other providers to prevent you cannot get rid of them (lock in).

Open-source software offers advantages over proprietary solutions, especially if municipalities encourage city-wide use. Barcelona is leading the way in this regard. The city aims to fully self-manage its ICT services and radically improve digital public services, including privacy by design. This results in data sovereignty and in the use of free software, open data formats, open standards, interoperability and reusable applications and services.

Anyone looking for open-source software cannot ignore the Fiwarecommunity, which is similar in organization to Linux and consists of companies, start-ups and freelance developers and originated from an initiative of the EU. Fiware is providing open and sustainable software around public, royalty-free and implementation-driven standards.

Infrastructure

Computers are no longer the largest group of components of the digital infrastructure. Their number has been surpassed by so-called ubiquitous sensor networks (USN), such as smart meters, CCTV, microphones, and sensors. Sensor networks have the most diverse tasks, they monitor the environment (air quality, traffic density, unwanted visitors) and they are in machines, trains, and cars and even in people to transmit information about the functioning of vital components. Mike Matson calculated that by 2050 a city of 2 million inhabitants will have as many as a billion sensors, all connected by millions of kilometers of fiber optic cable or via Wi-Fi with data centers, carrier hotels (nodes where private networks converge) to eventually the Internet.

This hierarchically organized cross-linking is at odds with the guidelines and ethical principles formulated in the previous post. Internet criminals are given free rein and data breaches can spread like wildfires, like denial of service (DoS). In addition, the energy consumption is enormous, apart from blockchain. Edge computing is a viable alternative. The processing of the data is done locally and only results are uploaded on demand. This applies to sensors, mobile phones and possibly automated cars as well. A good example is the Array of Things Initiative. Ultimately, this will include 500 sensors, which will be installed in consultation with the population in Chicago. Their data is stored in each sensor apart and can be consulted online, if necessary, always involving several sensors and part of the data. Federated data systems are comparable. Data is stored in a decentralized way, but authorized users can use all data thanks to user interfaces.

Data

There is a growing realization that when it comes to data, not only quantity, but also quality counts. I will highlight some aspects.

Access to data
Personal data should only be available with permission from the owner. To protect this data, the EU project Decode proposes that owners can manage their data via blockchain technology. Many cities now have privacy guidelines, but only a few conduct privacy impact assessments as part of its data policy (p.18).

Quality
There is growing evidence that much of the data used in artificial intelligence as “learning sets” is flawed. This had already become painfully clear from facial recognition data in which minority groups are disproportionately represented. New research shows that this is also true in the field of healthcare. This involves data cascades, a sum of successive errors, the consequences of which only become clear after some time. Data turned out to be irrelevant, incomplete, incomparable, and even manipulated.

Data commons
Those for whom high-quality data is of great importance will pay extra attention to its collection. In. this case, initiating a data common is a godsend. Commons are shared resources managed by empowered communities based on mutually agreed and enforced rules. An example is the Data and Knowledge Hub for Healthy Urban Living (p.152), in which governments, companies, environmental groups and residents collect data for the development of a healthy living environment, using a federated data system. These groups are not only interested in the data, but also in the impact of its application.

Open date
Many cities apply the 'open by default' principle and make most of the data public, although the user-friendliness and efficiency sometimes leave something to be desired. Various data management systems are available as an open-source portal. One of the most prominent ones is CKAN, administered by the Open Knowledge Foundation. It contains tools for managing, publishing, finding, using, and sharing data collections. It offers an extensive search function and allows the possibility to view data in the form of maps, graphs, and tables. There is an active community of users who continue to develop the system and adapt it locally.

To make the data accessible, some cities also offer training courses and workshops. Barcelona's Open Data Challenge is an initiative for secondary school students that introduces them to the city's vast dat collection.

Safety
As the size of the collected data, the amount of entry points and the connectivity on the Internet increase, the security risks also become more severe. Decentralization, through edge computing and federated storage with blockchain technology, certainly contribute to security. But there is still a long way to go. Only half of the cities has a senior policy officer in this area. Techniques for authentication, encryption and signing that together form the basis for attribute-based identity are applied only incidentally. This involves determining identity based on several characteristics of a user, such as function and location. Something completely different is Me and my shadow, a project that teaches Internet users to minimize their own trail and thus their visibility to Internet criminality.

There is still a world to win before the guidelines and ethical principles mentioned in the previous episode are sufficiently met. I emphasize again not to over-accentuate concepts such as 'big data', 'data-oriented policy' and the size of data sets. Instead, it is advisable to re-examine the foundations of scientific research. First and foremost is knowledge of the domain (1), resulting in research questions (2), followed by the choice of an appropriate research method (3), defining the type of data to be collected (4), the collection of these data (5), and finally their statistical processing to find evidence for substantiated hypothetical connections (6). The discussion of machine learning in the next episode will reveal that automatic processing of large data sets is mainly about discovering statistical connections, and that can have dire consequences.

Follow the link below to find one of the previous episodes or see which episodes are next, and this one for the Dutch version.

The 9th episode of the series Building sustainable cities: the contribution of digital technology deals with guidelines and related ethical principles that apply to the design and application of digital technology.

One thing that keeps me awake at night is the speed at which artificial intelligence is developing and the lack of rules for its development and application said Aleksandra Mojsilović, director of IBM Science for Social Good. The European Union has a strong focus on regulations to ensure that technology is people-oriented, ensures a fair and competitive digital economy and contributes to an open, democratic and sustainable society. This relates to more than legal frameworks, also to political choices, ethical principles, and the responsibilities of the profession. This is what this post is about.

Politicians are ultimately responsible for the development, selection, application and use of (digital) technology. In this respect, a distinction must be made between:
• Coordination of digital instruments and the vision on the development of the city.
• Drawing up policy guidelines for digitization in general.
• Recognizing related ethical principles next to these policy guidelines.
• Creating the conditions for democratic oversight of the application of digital technology.
• Make an appeal to the responsibilities of the ICT professional group.

Guidelines for digitization policy

In the previous post I emphasized that the digital agenda must result from the urban policy agenda and that digital instruments and other policy instruments must be seen in mutual relation.
Below are five additional guidelines for digitization policy formulated by the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance. 36 cities are involved in this initiative, including Apeldoorn, as the only Dutch municipality. The cities involved will elaborate these guidelines soon. In the meantime, I have listed some examples.

Equity, inclusiveness, and social impact
• Enabling every household to use the Internet.
• Making information and communication technology (ICT) and digital communication with government accessible to all, including the physically/mentally disabled, the elderly and immigrants with limited command of the local language.
• Assessing the impact of current digital technology on citizens and anticipating the future impact of this policy.
• Facilitating regular education and institutions for continuous learning to offer easily accessible programs to develop digital literacy.
• Challenging neighborhoods and community initiatives to explore the supportive role of digital devices in their communication and actions.

Security and resilience
• Developing a broadly supported vision on Internet security and its consequences.
• Mandatory compliance with rules and standards (for instance regarding IoT) to protect digital systems against cyberthreats.
• Becoming resilient regarding cybercrime by developing back-up systems that seamless take over services eventually.
• Building resilience against misuse of digital communication, especially bullying, intimidation and threats.
• Reducing the multitude of technology platforms and standards, to limit entry points for cyber attackers.

Privacy and transparency
• The right to move and stay in cities without being digitally surveilled, except in case of law enforcement with legal means.
• Establishing rules in a democratic manner for the collection of data from citizens in the public space.
• Minimalist collection of data by cities to enable services.
• Citizens' right to control their own data and to decide which ones are shared and under which circumstances.
• Using privacy impact assessment as a method for identifying, evaluating, and addressing privacy risks by companies, organizations, and the city itself.

Openness and interoperability
• Providing depersonalized data from as many as possible organizations to citizens and organizations as a reliable evidence base to support policy and to create open markets for interchangeable technology.
• Public registration of devices, their ownership, and their aim.
• Choosing adequate data architecture, including standards, agreements, and norms to enable reuse of digital technology and to avoid lock-ins.

Operational and financial sustainability
• Ensuring a safe and well-functioning Internet
• The coordinated approach ('dig once') of constructing and maintenance of digital infrastructure, including Wi-Fi, wired technologies and Internet of Things (IoT).
• Exploring first, whether the city can develop and manage required technology by itself, before turning to commercial parties.
• Cities, companies, and knowledge institutions share data and cooperate in a precompetitive way at innovations for mutual benefit.
• Digital solutions are feasible: Results are achieved within an agreed time, with an agreed budget.

Ethical Principles

The guidelines formulated above partly converge with the ethical principles that underlie digitization according to the Rathenau Institute. Below, I will summarize these principles.

Privacy
• Citizens' right to dispose of their own (digital) data, collected by the government, companies and other organizations.
• Limitation of the data to be collected to those are functionally necessary (privacy by design), which also prevents improper use.
• Data collection in the domestic environment only after personal permission and in the public environment only after consent by the municipal council.

Autonomy
• The right to decide about information to be received.
• The right to reject or consent to independent decision making by digital devices in the home.
• No filtering of information except in case of instructions by democratically elected bodies.

Safety
• Ensuring protection of personal data and against identity theft through encryption and biometric recognition.
• Preventing unwanted manipulation of devices by unauthorized persons.
• Providing adequate warnings against risks by providers of virtual reality software.
• Securing exchange of data

Public oversight
• Ensuring public participation in policy development related to digitization
• Providing transparency of decision-making through algorithms and opportunity to influence these decisions by human interventions.
• Decisions taken by autonomous systems always include an explanation of the underlying considerations and provide the option to appeal against this decision.

Human dignity
• Using robotics technology mainly in routinely, dangerous, and dirty work, preferably under supervision of human actors.
• Informing human actors collaborating with robots of the foundations of their operation and the possibilities to influence them.

Justice
• Ensuring equal opportunities, accessibility, and benefits for all when applying digital systems
• If autonomous systems are used to assess personal situations, the result is always checked for its fairness, certainty, and comprehensibility for the receiving party.
• In the case of autonomous analysis of human behavior, the motives on which an assessment has taken place can be checked by human intervention.
• Employees in the gig economy have an employment contract or an income as self-employed in accordance with legal standards.

Power relations
• The possibility of updating software if equipment still is usable, even if certain functionalities are no longer available.
• Companies may not use their monopoly position to antagonize other companies.
• Ensuring equal opportunities, accessibility, and benefits for all when applying digital systems.

The above guidelines and ethical principles partly overlap. Nevertheless, I have not combined them as they represent different frames of reference that are often referred to separately. The principles for digitization policy are particularly suitable for the assessment of digitization policy. The ethical principles are especially useful when assessing different technologies. That is why I will  use the latter in the following episodes.
In discussing the digitalization strategy of Amsterdam and other municipalities in later episodes, I will use a composite list of criteria, based on both the above guidelines and ethical principles. This list, titled 'Principles for a socially responsible digitization policy' can already be viewed HERE.

Democratic oversight

Currently, many municipalities still lack sufficient competencies to supervise the implementation and application of the guidelines and principles mentioned above. Moreover, they are involved as a party themselves. Therefore, setting up an independent advisory body for this purpose is desirable. In the US, almost every city now has a committee for public oversight of digitization. These committees are strongly focused on the role of the police, in particular practices related to facial recognition and predictive policing.
Several cities in the Netherlands have installed an ethics committee. A good initiative. I would also have such a committee supervise the aforementioned policy guidelines and not just the ethical principles. According to Bart Wernaart, lecturer in Moral Design Strategy at Fontys University of applied sciences, such a committee must be involved in digitization policy at an early stage, and it should also learn from mistakes in the field of digitization in the past.
The latter is especially necessary because, as the Dutch Data Protection Authority writes, the identity of an ethically responsible city is, is not set in stone. The best way to connect ethical principles and practice is to debate and questions the implications of policy in practice.

Experts’ own responsibility

A mature professional group has its own ethical principles, is monitoring their implementation, and sanctioning discordant members. In this respect, the medical world is most advanced. As far as I know, the ICT profession has not yet formulated its own ethical principles. This has been done, for example, by the Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) in the field of artificial intelligence. Sarah Hamid: Data scientists are generally concerned more with the abstract score metric of their models than the direct and indirect impact it can have on the world. However, experts often understand the unforeseen implications of government policy earlier than politicians. Hamid addresses the implications for professional action: If computer scientists really hoped to make a positive impact on the world, then they would need to start asking better questions. The road to technology implementation by governments is paved with failures. Professionals have often seen this coming, but have rarely warned, afraid of losing an assignment. Self-confident professionals must therefore say 'no' much more often to a job description. Hamid: Refusal is an essential practice for anyone who hopes to design sociotechnical systems in the service of justice and the public good. This even might result in a better relationship with the client and more successful projects.

Establishing policy guidelines and ethical principles for municipal digitization requires a critical municipal council and an ethics committee with relevant expertise. But it also needs professionals who carry out the assignment and enter the debate if necessary.

The link below opens a preliminary overview of the already published and upcoming articles in the series Building sustainable cities: the contribution of digital technology. Click HERE for the Dutch version.

The fifth episode of the series Better cities: The role of technology is about the sense and nonsense of big data. Data is the new oil is the worst cliché of the big data hype yet. Even worse than data-driven policy. In this article, I investigate - with digital twins as a thread - what the contribution of data can be to urban policy and how dataism, a religion that takes over policy making itself, can be prevented (must read: Harari: Homo Deus).

I am a happy user of a Sonos sound system. Nevertheless, the helpdesk must be involved occasionally. Recently, it knew within five minutes that my problem was the result of a faulty connection cable between the modem and the amplifier. As it turned out, the helpdesk was able to remotely generate a digital image of the components of my sound system and their connections and saw that the cable in question was not transmitting any signal. A simple example of a digital twin. I was happy with it. But where is the line between the sense and nonsense of collecting masses of data?

What is a digital twin.

A digital twin is a digital model of an object, product, or process. In my training as a social geographer, I had a lot to do with maps, the oldest form of 'twinning'. Maps have laid the foundation for GIS technology, which in turn is the foundation of digital twins. Geographical information systems relate data based on geographical location and provide insight into their coherence in the form of a model. If data is permanently connected to reality with the help of sensors, then the dynamics in the real world and those in the model correspond and we speak of a 'digital twin'. Such a dynamic model can be used for simulation purposes, monitoring and maintenance of machines, processes, buildings, but also for much larger-scale entities, for example the electricity grid.

From data to insight

Every scientist knows that data is indispensable, but also that there is a long way to go before data leads to knowledge and insight. That road starts even before data is collected. The first step is assumptions about the essence of reality and thus the method of knowing it. There has been a lot of discussion about this within the philosophy of science, from which two points of view have been briefly crystallized, a systems approach and a complexity approach.

The systems approach assumes that reality consists of a stable series of actions and reactions in which law-like connections can be sought. Today, almost everyone assumes that this only applies to physical and biological phenomena. Yet there is also talk of social systems. This is not a question of law-like relationships, but of generalizing assumptions about human behavior at a high level of aggregation. The homo economicus is a good example. Based on such assumptions, conclusions can be drawn about how behavior can be influenced.

The complexity approach sees (social) reality as the result of a complex adaptive process that arises from countless interactions, which - when it comes to human actions - are fed by diverse motives. In that case it will be much more difficult to make generic statements at a high level of aggregation and interventions will have a less predictable result.

Traffic models

Traffic policy is a good example to illustrate the distinction between a process and a complexity approach. Simulation using a digital twin in Chattanooga of the use of flexible lane assignment and traffic light phasing showed that congestion could be reduced by 30%. Had this experiment been carried out, the result would probably have been very different. Traffic experts note time and again that every newly opened road becomes full after a short time, while the traffic picture on other roads hardly changes. In econometrics this phenomenon is called induced demand. In a study of urban traffic patterns between 1983 and 2003, economists Gilles Duranton and Matthew Turner found that car use increases proportionally with the growth of road capacity. The cause only becomes visible to those who use a complexity approach: Every road user reacts differently to the opening or closing of a road. That reaction can be to move the ride to another time, to use a different road, to ride with someone else, to use public transport or to cancel the ride.

Carlos Gershenson, a Mexican computer specialist, has examined traffic behavior from a complexity approach and he concludes that self-regulation is the best way to tackle congestion and to maximize the capacity of roads. If the simulated traffic changes in Chattanooga had taken place in the real world, thousands of travelers would have changed their driving behavior in a short time. They had started trying out the smart highway, and due to induced demand, congestion there would increase to old levels in no time. Someone who wants to make the effect of traffic measures visible with a digital twin should feed it with results of research into the induced demand effect, instead of just manipulating historical traffic data.

The value of digital twins

Digital twins prove their worth when simulating physical systems, i.e. processes with a parametric progression. This concerns, for example, the operation of a machine, or in an urban context, the relationship between the amount of UV light, the temperature, the wind (speed) and the number of trees per unit area. In Singapore, for example, digital twins are being used to investigate how heat islands arise in the city and how their effect can be reduced. Schiphol Airporthas a digital twin that shows all moving parts at the airport, such as roller conveyors and stairs. This enables technicians to get to work immediately in the event of a malfunction. It is impossible to say in advance whether the costs of building such a model outweigh the benefits. Digital twins often develop from small to large, driven by proven needs.

Boston also developed a digital twin of part of the city in 2017, with technical support from ESRI. A limited number of processes have been merged into a virtual 3D model. One is the shadowing caused by the height of buildings. One of the much-loved green spaces in the city is the Boston Common. For decades, it has been possible to limit the development of high-rise buildings along the edges of the park and thus to limit shade. Time and again, project developers came up with new proposals for high-rise buildings. With the digital twin, the effect of the shadowing of these buildings can be simulated in different weather conditions and in different seasons (see image above). The digital twin can be consulted online, so that everyone can view these and other effects of urban planning interventions at home.

Questions in advance

Three questions precede the construction of a digital twin, and data collection in general. In the first place, what the user wants to achieve with it, then which processes will be involved and thirdly, which knowledge is available of these processes and their impact. Chris Andrews, an urban planner working on the ESRI ArcGIS platform, emphasizes the need to limit the number of elements in a digital twin and to pre-calculate the relationship between them: To help limit complexity, the number of systems modeled in a digital twin should likely be focused on the problems the twin will be used to solve.

Both the example of traffic forecasts in Chattanooga, the formation of heat islands in Singapore and the shadowing of the Boston Common show that raw data is insufficient to feed a digital twin. Instead, data are used that are the result of scientific research, after the researcher has decided whether a systems approach or a complexity approach is appropriate. In the words of Nigel Jacob, former Chief Technology Officer in Boston: For many years now, we've been talking about the need to become data-driven… But there's a step beyond that. We need to make the transition to being science-driven in ...... It's not enough to be data mining to look for patterns. We need to understand root causes of issues and develop policies to address these issues.

Digital twins are valuable tools. But if they are fed with raw data, they provide at best insight into statistical connections and every scientist knows how dangerous it is to draw conclusions from that: Trash in, trash out.

If you prefer the Dutch version of the Better cities series, find an overview of the already published episodes via the link below.

This post is about the omnipotence of Big Tech. So far, resistance mainly results in regulation of its effects. The core of the problem, the monopoly position of the technology giants, is only marginally touched. What is needed is a strict antitrust policy and a government that once again takes a leading role in setting the technology agenda.

A cause of concern

 In its recent report, the Dutch Rathenau Institute calls the state of digital technology a cause for concern. The institute advocates a fair data economy and a robust, secure and available Internet for everyone. This is not the case now. In fact, we are getting further and further away from this. The risks are pressing more each day: Inscrutable algorithms, deepfakes and political micro-targeting, inner-city devastation through online shopping, theft of trade secrets, unbridled data collection by Google, Amazon and Facebook, poorly paid taxi drivers by Uber and other service providers of the gig economy, the effect of Airbnb on the hotel industry and the energy consumption of bitcoin and blockchain.

The limits of legislation

Numerous publications are calling on the government to put an end to the growing abuse of digital technology. In his must read 'the New Digital Deal' Bas Boorsma states: In order to deploy digitalization and to manage platforms for the greater good of the individual and society as a whole, new regulatory approaches will be required… (p. 46) . That is also the view of the Rathenau Institute, which lists three spearheads for a digitization strategy: Strong legislative frameworks and supervision, value-based digital innovation based on critical parliamentary debate and a say in this for citizens and professionals.

More than growing inconvenience

In recent years, the European Commission has launched a wide range of legislative proposals, such as the Digital Services Act package, the Digital Market Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, these measures do not get to the kernel of the problem. The near-monopoly position of Big Tech is the proverbial monster behind the curtain. The Rathenau Institute speaks in furtitive terms of "the growing inconvenience" of reliance on American and Chinese tech giants. Even the International Monetary Fund is clearer in stating that the power of Big Tech inhibits innovation and investment and increases income inequality. Due to the power of the big technology companies, society is losing its grip on technology.

Surveillance capitalisme

To curb the above-mentioned risks, the problem must first be named  and measures must then be tailored accordingly. This is done in two recent books, namely Shoshana Zuboff's 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power' (2019) and Cory Doctorow's 'How to destroy surveillance capitalism' (2021). Zuboff describes in detail how Google, Amazon and Facebook collect data with only one goal, to entice citizens to buy goods and services: Big Tech's product is persuasion. The services — social media, search engines, maps, messaging, and more — are delivery systems for persuasion.

Big tech's monopoly

The unprecedented power of Big Tech is a result of the fact that these companies have become almost classic monopolies. Until the 1980s, the US had strict antitrust legislation: the Sherman's act, notorious for big business. Ronald Reagan quickly wiped it out in his years as president, and Margareth Thatcher did the same in the UK, Brian Mulroney in Canada and Helmut Kohl in Germany. While Sherman saw monopolies as a threat to the free market, Reagan believed that government interference threatens the free market. Facebook joins in if it sees itself as a 'natural monopoly': You want to be on a network where your friends are also. But you could also reach your friends if there were more networks that are interoperable. Facebook has used all economic, technical and legal means to combat the latter, including takeover of potential competitors: Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp.

In the early 21st century, there was still a broad belief that emerging digital technology could lead to a better and more networked society. Bas Boorsma: The development of platforms empowered start-ups, small companies and professionals. Many network utopians believed the era of 'creative commons' had arrived and with it, a non-centralized and highly digital form of 'free market egalitarianism' (New Digital Deal, p.52). Nothing has come of this: Digitalization-powered capitalism now possesses a speed, agility and rawness that is unprecedented (New Digital Deal, p.54). Even the startup community is becoming one big R&D lab for Big Tech. Many startups hope to be acquired by one of the tech giants and then cash in on millions. As a result, Big Tech is on its way to acquire a dominant position in urban development, the health sector and education, in addition to the transport sector.

Antitrust legislation

Thanks to its monopoly position, Big Tech can collect unlimited data, even if European legislation imposes restrictions and occasional fines. After all, a lot of data is collected without citizens objecting to it. Mumford had already realized this in 1967: Many consumers see these companies not only as irresistible, but also ultimately beneficial. These two conditions are the germ of what he called the megatechnics bribe.

The only legislation that can break the power of Big Tech is a strong antitrust policy, unbundling the companies, an absolute ban on acquisitions and rigorous taxation.

Technology agenda

Technology does not develop autonomously. At the moment, Big Tech is indisputably setting the technology agenda in the Western Hemisphere. China is a different story. With Mariana Mazzocato, I believe that governments should take back control of technological development, as they did until the end of the last century. Consider the role of institutions such as DARPA in the US, the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and TNO in the Netherlands. Democratic control is an absolute precondition!

In the chapter 'Digitally just cities' in my e-book 'Cities of the future: Always humane, smart where it helps' (link below), I show, among other things, what Facebook, Amazon and Google could look like after a possible unbundling.

Hello!

I am a fourth year student at UC Berkeley studying data science and sustainable design. I currently live in Berkeley, California but am moving to Amsterdam post-graduation from January 2022. I am interested in volunteer/part-time work opportunities in data analytics for smart cities, given Amsterdam's impressive internet of things ecosystem. I am a motivated, hard worker with the ability to learn new things quickly, and am curious about many topics. Please let me know if there are any positions that are open to a person in my position, thank you!

We are recruiting young people for "Motivaço", motivation is a social organization of young people, to think, discuss, plan and execute actions in the areas of health, education, environment, smart business and sustainability.
Visit our page
www.facebook.com/motivaco

Binnenkort verschijnt het onderzoek van de Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP) over wat er wel en niet mag op smartcitygebied. Het onderzoek richt zich op verwerkingen van persoonsgegevens in de openbare ruimte met sensoren en andere technologieën. Veel gemeenten en andere overheden vragen zich af wat de mogelijkheden en grenzen zijn volgens de AP. Daarom zijn we erg blij dat Munish Ramlal, hoofd van de afdeling Systeemtoezicht bij de de AP samen met Gerald Hopster en Anna Maj Drenth, senior inspecteurs van de AP daarover met ons in gesprek willen. Dat doen we op 17 juni en u kunt daar bij zijn.

Datum en tijd: donderdag 17 juni
Tijd: 15.00 - 16.00 uur
Locatie: Online via Webex
Kosten: gratis

Meld je aan, zodat je verzekerd bent van een plekje.

Heb je een vraag of een specifieke casus voor de AP? In het aanmeldformulier kun je deze met ons delen. Zo kunnen we jouw vragen tijdens het gesprek aan de vertegenwoordigers van de AP voorleggen.

Voor vragen kun je contact opnemen met Zoë Spaaij (zoe@future-city.nl).

Hello entrepreneurs.
I am looking for partners to generate brainstorm. And create a global new business project.

Interested to know more, send an email to
motivaco@gmail.com

How can local governments deal with (technological) innovations? Listen to the #podcast with Karen Vancluysen of POLIS Network: https://bit.ly/mobilitypod

Wil jij je inzetten voor betere straten, buurten en steden? Ben jij thuis in de wereld van communicatie, social media en community management? En heb je affiniteit met stedelijke innovatie?

Kom dan het Amsterdam Smart City team versterken! Voor ons kernteam (bestaande uit 6 mensen) zijn wij op zoek naar een:

(junior) Communicatie- en programmamedewerker

Amsterdam Smart City is een onafhankelijk innovatieplatform dat innovatieve bedrijven, kennisinstellingen, overheden en proactieve bewoners samenbrengt en vorm geeft aan de stad van de toekomst.

Wij zijn ervan overtuigd dat de veranderingen die nodig zijn voor de vooruitgang van de stad en regio alleen gerealiseerd kunnen worden door samen te werken. Al onze activiteiten zijn daarom gericht op het faciliteren van ontmoeting, interactie en samenwerking, zodat partijen samen tastbare, duurzame innovaties tot stand kunnen brengen. Amsterdam Smart City richt zich met name op deze vier thema’s: mobiliteit, de digitale stad, energie en circulaire economie. Met het Amsterdam Smart City team zorgen we voor verbinding.

Wat ga je doen?
Je voert de communicatie- en communitystrategie actief uit door het maken van content, het schrijven van nieuwsbrieven, beheren van onze social media kanalen en het organiseren van events. Je bent veel in contact met de partners en andere organisaties binnen het netwerk van ASC.

Daarnaast werk je met onze partners aan het aanjagen van innovaties binnen het transitiepad Mobiliteit & Logistiek en legt verbindingen met de community. Ook breid je het netwerk uit met relevante organisaties en innovatieve projecten. De communicatie- en programmamedewerker werkt nauw samen met het gehele smart city team en legt verantwoording af aan de communicatiemanager. Daarnaast heb je een aantal programma ondersteunende taken.

Taken
• Je beheert onze social media kanalen, geeft inzage in de statistieken en onderneemt actie op basis van de data.
• Je onderhoudt het dagelijks contact met de leden van onze community op www.amsterdamsmartcity.com
• Je verzamelt, schrijft, redigeert en publiceert content voor de community en andere stakeholders.
• Je organiseert en draagt bij aan evenementen voor partners en ons bredere netwerk in de regio en communiceert hierover.
• Je coördineert, onder begeleiding, je eigen transitiepad: Mobiliteit & Logistiek en monitort voortgang van projecten en legt verbindingen.
• Je verbindt, mobiliseert en activeert partners en communityleden
• Je voert ondersteunende programma taken uit, zoals het vormgeven van presentaties en zorgdragen voor documentatie en het bijhouden van het CRM systeem.

Profiel:
• WO/HBO werk- en denkniveau
• Opleiding op gebied van communicatie of vergelijkbaar
• 1-2 jaar werkervaring
• Goede beheersing van Nederlands en Engels in woord en schrift
• Ervaring op het gebied van online communicatie, community management en/of projectondersteuning
• Affiniteit met innovatie en stedelijke ontwikkelingen, met het thema Mobiliteit & Logistiek in het bijzonder
• Type aanpakker, zelfstandig, communicatief sterk en flexibel.
• Gedreven in het creëren van maatschappelijke waarde

Wat bieden wij?
Wij bieden je een fijne werkplek op het Marineterrein in Amsterdam, met een informele en collegiale sfeer. Op dit moment werken we uiteraard veel thuis. We zijn een klein team (6 personen) waarin we nauw met elkaar samenwerken. We werken intensief samen met een grote groep gedreven mensen die zich inzetten voor een duurzame stad en regio, voor iedereen. Het is een regionale, nationale én internationale werkomgeving waarin je eigen inbreng en pro-activiteit zeer gewaardeerd worden.

We zoeken iemand voor 32-40 uur per week.  Salarisindicatie o.b.v. 40 uur: €2.900 - €3.400 bruto excl vakantiegeld en eindejaarsuitkering. Wij bieden een jaarcontract met uitzicht op een vaste aanstelling.

Interesse gewekt?
Vind je dit goed klinken? Dan horen we graag van je! Stuur je CV en een korte motivatie voor 17 april naar: info@amsterdamsmartcity.com. De eerste gesprekken zijn op 20 en 21 april. Voor meer informatie over de functie kun bellen met Menouschka Plugge via 06-43752636.

Hopelijk spreken we elkaar snel!

Wij zijn op zoek naar een optimist die gemotiveerd is om ‘Smart City ondernemerschap’ te bevorderen. Ons werk is door Corona veranderd, maar uiteindelijk draait het nog steeds – en steeds meer – om ondanks complexe processen te blijven streven naar vernieuwing en opschaling.

Reageren voor: 14 april 2021

Onze leefomgeving is onlosmakelijk verbonden met de digitale wereld. Wilt u weten wat dat betekent voor meer duurzaamheid in de stad van de toekomst? Meldt u zich dan aan voor een webinar ‘Hoe kan digitalisering bijdragen aan een meer duurzame samenleving?’ op dinsdag 20 april.

Dit webinar wordt georganiseerd door de Raad voor de leefomgeving en infrastructuur (Rli), City Deal ‘Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat’ en de Future City Foundation.

MELD U AAN

Datum en tijd: 20 april, 9.30 – 10.30 uur
Locatie: Online
Deelname: Hier kunt u zich aanmelden. Deelname is gratis

Programma
9.30u Welkom en introductie
9.40u Pieter Hooimeijer over het advies van de Rli
9.50u Jan-Willem Wesselink over de City deal en hoe je een slimme stad bestuurt
10.00u Workshop over maatschappelijke veranderingen door digitalisering
10.15u In gesprek: wat is de rol van digitalisering in de duurzaamheidstransitie?
10.30u Afsluiting

In dit advies aan de overheid pleit de Rli ervoor om meer aandacht te hebben voor de veranderingen die digitalisering teweeg brengt in onze fysieke leefomgeving. In haar digitaliseringsbeleid moet de overheid duurzaamheid nadrukkelijker meenemen. Andersom moet het potentieel van digitale technologie beter worden benut voor de duurzaamheidstransities.

In de City deal worden concrete digitale en technologische tools ontwikkeld voor de slimme stad van de toekomst. Daarmee sluit de City deal aan bij het advies van de Rli aan de overheid voor een nieuwe denkwijze over digitalisering.

Sprekers
Prof. dr. Pieter Hooimeijer is voormalig lid van de Rli en voorzitter van de Rli-commissie die het advies voorbereidde. Hij zal de kern van het advies van de Rli toelichten. Jan-Willem Wesselink is hoofdredacteur van het boek ‘Zo bestuur je een slimme stad’ en programma manager van de City Deal ‘Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat’ en de Future City Foundation.

MELD U AAN

Nieuwe mobiliteitsconcepten lage parkeernormen en hubs doen het goed bij beleidsmakers en gebiedsontwikkelaars. Iedereen lijkt een overgang van ‘bezit naar gebruik’ toe te juichen en de auto in te willen ruilen voor meer ruimte en schoner vervoer. Mooie ambities maar tot nu toe nog zonder uitgebreide successen. Zijn we in staat deze transitie aan te laten sluiten bij de (toekomstige) mobiliteitsbehoefte van verschillende bewoners en gebruikers van een nieuwe wijk? Hoe zorgen we ervoor dat het nieuwe aanbod geschikt is voor álle doelgroepen en er genoeg andere betaalbare opties (openbaar vervoer deelmobiliteit) binnen korte afstand beschikbaar zijn? En ook interessant: wie is of voelt zich daarvoor verantwoordelijk?

Over Morgen onderzocht in opdracht van enkele woningcorporaties waaronder Stadgenoot de gevolgen van de keuzes in het gemeentelijk mobiliteitsplan. Er is specifiek gekeken naar de nieuwe wijk Strandeiland in Amsterdam waar conform het parkeerbeleid wordt gewerkt met een minimale parkeernorm voor sociale huurwoningen van 0.0 en een maximale parkeernorm van 1.0. Stadgenoot en Over Morgen lichten de uitkomsten van hun onderzoek toe en gaan in op de vraag wat de gevolgen zijn voor andere gebiedsontwikkelingen.

NS, RET en HTM laten
hun landelijke MaaS-platform bouwen door Siemens Mobility. Het platform maakt het mogelijk om een reis met verschillende vervoermiddelen in één keer online te plannen, boeken en betalen. RET-directeur Maurice Unck namens Rivier, de joint venture van de drie partijen: “Na de pandemie verandert ons reisgedrag.

We reizen, werken en leren flexibeler: in tijd, plaats en keuze van het
vervoermiddel. Daarom investeren we juist nu in de beste reismogelijkheden voor de consument. We willen de drempel verlagen om een reis met meerdere
vervoermiddelen eenvoudig digitaal te plannen, boeken en betalen. Daarom roepen
we alle Nederlandse mobiliteitsaanbieders op om zich aan te sluiten.”

 Naar verwachting zien
in het najaar de eerste apps van MaaS-providers het licht waarmee consumenten
hun multimodale reis in heel Nederland kunnen plannen.

Stel: je wil
graag bij een vriend, een klant of iemand anders op bezoek en gemakkelijk weten
hoe je daar het snelst bent en hoeveel dat kost. Hoe krijg je dat voor elkaar?
Je kunt kijken of er files zijn, een deelauto boeken, uitzoeken of het OV goed
werkt, nadenken over de fiets als alternatief en meer. Maar een reis
samenstellen waarbij deze verschillende vervoermiddelen van
mobiliteitsaanbieders optimaal worden ingezet, moet je nu nog helemaal zelf
doen. Dat is best een complexe puzzel die veel mensen liever overslaan. Terwijl
juist de combinatie van vervoermiddelen je als reiziger veel tijdwinst en
bewegingsvrijheid oplevert. Daarnaast helpt zo’n combinatie onze infrastructuur
zo goed mogelijk te benutten.

 Reisopties in één
keer zichtbaar, één keer afrekenen

Met het nieuwe platform
is het straks voor consumenten veel makkelijker om gebruik te maken van
beschikbare vervoermiddelen. Het platform kan verbonden worden met al bestaande
apps van MaaS-providers zoals de NS, RET, HTM. Maar het platform kan ook andere
bestaande apps en nieuwe apps bedienen. De snelheidswinst zit ‘m erin dat alle
afzonderlijke vervoersmogelijkheden op de route in één keer inzichtelijk
worden. Maak je bijvoorbeeld graag gebruik van een deelscooter of reis je
liever per trein of metro? De app houdt rekening met ieders persoonlijke
voorkeuren en past het advies daarop aan. Bovendien is er geen gedoe met
verschillende vervoersbewijzen en de betaling ervan: ook dat regel je heel
makkelijk vanuit je favoriete app of website.

Toegankelijk voor alle mobiliteitsaanbieders:

De initiatiefnemers
willen de mobiliteitsdiensten van zoveel mogelijk aanbieders in Nederland
samenbrengen. Of het nu gaat om taxibedrijven of deelfietsen, e-scooters of
zelfs particuliere automobilisten. Hoe meer partijen hun diensten aanbieden,
hoe beter het écht mogelijk wordt om heel Nederland digitaal te ontsluiten.
Aanbieders profiteren van het gemak van eenmalig laagdrempelig aansluiten en
hebben direct een landelijk bereik te met een platform dat doorontwikkeld is om
de klantbeleving te optimaliseren. Daarom roepen de initiatiefnemers alle
aanbieders op om zich aan te sluiten.

“Voorheen werd er gewoon rondgebeld: ‘Wij zitten in de instroom van de ArenA. We hebben nu 20.000 man binnen. Hoe gaat het bij jullie op straat?’” In de achtste aflevering van de serie A Radical Redesign for Amsterdam, spreken Carin ten Hage en Geert Kloppenburg met Maurits van Hövell (Johan Cruijff ArenA). Hoe houdt je een wijk met de drie grootste evenementenlocaties van het land, bereikbaar en veilig? Ze spreken elkaar in het Operationeel Mobiliteitscentrum over de rol van de stad Amsterdam, data delen en het houden van regie. A Radical Redesign for Amsterdam wordt gemaakt in opdracht van de Gemeente Amsterdam.

Luister de podcast hier: http://bit.ly/mvhovell

Open the Blackbox is een oproep van een brede alliantie van Nederlanders
voor meer democratische grip op de machtige technologieën en
organisaties in onze samenleving. Zie hier de visie video zoals gepresenteerd op Smart Humanity 2020.

We zijn op zoek naar verhalen over technologie en organisaties die je zelf hebt meegemaakt. Kleine of grote gebeurtenissen die jouw blik op dit onderwerp hebben veranderd, en waardoor je misschien ook iets nieuws
over jezelf hebt ontdekt. We zoeken dus niet naar verhalen over iemand anders, of geruchten die je via via hebt gehoord. In deze fase van Open the Blackbox gaat het om persoonlijke ervaringen, om feiten en voorvallen die indruk hebben gemaakt op jou.

Heb jij een verhaal voor ons? Heb je een goede tip en liefst zelfs documentatie om het te onderbouwen? Mail ons dan via opentheblackbox@protonmail.com (ook versleutelde berichten). We nemen zo snel mogelijk contact met je op.

Zou je ons willen helpen? Ga dan voor jezelf na of je iets hebt meegemaakt op de volgende gebieden:

• Gebruik van informatie door overheid
• Functioneren van tech bedrijven en geheime diensten
• Dienstverlening en besluitvorming van grote organisaties
• Functioneren van autonome systemen en voertuigen
• Werking van Artificial Intelligence
• Veiligheid van gevoelige persoonlijke informatie
• Fraude, belastingontwijking en oneerlijke concurrentie

Open the Blackbox is een initiatief van Frank van Geffen en Joost van de Loo, en wordt gesponsord door KNVI Beroepsvereniging.

Deelnemers aan de pilot video zijn Martijn van der Veen (Privacy First), Hajo Reijers (Utrecht University en Eindhoven University of Technology), Nancy Zikken (Amsterdam Smart City), Frank van Geffen (KNVI), en Rein Mertens (SAS Nederland).

The European Commission's CEF Context Broker Building Block is holding an introduction webinar on 18 February 2021, 15:00-16:00 CET Brussels

Register for this webinar to discover Context Broker and gain insights on how Context Broker enables organisations (including but not limited to public administrations) to manage and share data in real-time describing “what is currently happening” within their organisations, in the real world they manage or where they run their daily business processes.

Context Broker is a standard based API, a digital platform component that enables the integration of gathered data including insights for further exploitation.

• Data Broker: Assemble information from different systems, eventually belonging to different organisations, instead of having them perform in separate silos. 
• Leverage Investments: Enable the creation in the Digital Single Market (of portable and interoperable solutions) a data marketplace. 
• Easy Development: Reduce costs and time in the development of context information based platforms and solutions. Experience has shown that it is possible to create meaningful dashboards in a few days!

Context Broker is a standard-based API allowing users to collect, integrate and contextualise data in real time. It is often used by cities to track actions in real-time and then make real-time decisions.

Register 

Deze vacature is gesloten. Het heeft geen zin meer om te reageren.

Ben jij expert op gebied van online community management? Wil jij onze online community laten groeien en meer betrokken maken? Wil je bijdragen aan het versnellen van de transities op het gebied van mobiliteit, energie, circulaire economie en digitalisering?

Kom dan het Amsterdam Smart City team versterken! Wij zijn op zoek naar een community manager die ons team tijdelijk komt versterken voor de periode van 8 maart 2021 tot 16 augustus 2021 in verband met een zwangerschapsverlof.

Wie zijn wij?
Amsterdam Smart City is een onafhankelijk innovatieplatform dat innovatieve bedrijven, kennisinstellingen overheden en proactieve bewoners samenbrengt en vorm geeft aan de stad van de toekomst.

Wij zijn ervan overtuigd dat de veranderingen die nodig zijn voor de vooruitgang van de stad en regio alleen gerealiseerd kunnen worden door samen te werken. Al onze activiteiten zijn daarom gericht op het faciliteren van ontmoeting, interactie en samenwerking, zodat partijen samen tastbare, duurzame innovaties tot stand kunnen brengen. Amsterdam Smart City richt zich met name op deze vier thema’s: mobiliteit, de digitale stad, energie en circulaire economie. Met het Amsterdam Smart City team zorgen we voor verbinding. Eén van onze pijlers daarin is onze (inter)nationale community. Die elkaar ontmoet, zowel offline als online op ons platform.

Wat ga je doen?
Je zet je in op het community management, met een focus op ons net gelanceerde online platform. Je bent verantwoordelijk voor websitebeheer, het monitoren van analytics en het doorvoeren van de insights. Met als doel om meer community leden te activeren en beter betrokken te krijgen.

Taken
• Je voert de community strategie actief en goed uit, met daarin o.a.:
• Je zorgt voor een inhoudelijk relevant en technisch goed functionerend online platform (incl. actieve doorontwikkeling).
• Je verzamelt, schrijft, redigeert en publiceert content voor de community en andere stakeholders.
• Je stuurt de technische partij aan die de website beheert.
• Je onderhoudt contacten, verbindt en activeert partners en community leden.
• Je verzorgt de inhoud, coördinatie, communicatie en uitvoering van publieke evenementen, in samenwerking met het team en organisaties in ons netwerk.
• Je draagt bij aan de partnerbijeenkomsten, zoals Demodagen.

Profiel
• WO/HBO werk- en denkniveau
• Minimaal 3 jaar ervaring met community management en de ontwikkeling en beheer van websites.
• Kennis van en ruime ervaring met diverse communicatiemiddelen on- en offline.
• Ervaring met het organiseren van publieke evenementen.
• Uitstekende beheersing van de Nederlandse en Engelse taal in woord en geschrift.
• Een nieuwsgierige en enthousiaste instelling die anderen aanzet tot actie.
• Initiatiefrijk en werkt graag samen met een team en externe stakeholders.
• Affiniteit met stedelijke ontwikkeling, technologie, innovatie en duurzaamheid.

Wat bieden wij?
Wij bieden je een fijne werkplek op het Marineterrein in Amsterdam, met een informele en collegiale sfeer. Op dit moment werken we uiteraard veel thuis. We zijn een klein team (6 personen) waarin we nauw met elkaar samenwerken. We werken intensief samen met een grote groep gedreven mensen die zich inzetten voor een duurzame stad en regio, voor iedereen. Het is een regionale, nationale én internationale werkomgeving waarin je eigen inbreng en pro-activiteit zeer gewaardeerd worden.

We zoeken iemand voor 28-32 uur per week. Deze functie is tijdelijk en loopt van 8 maart 2021 tot 16 augustus 2021. Bij voorkeur kom je voor deze periode bij ons in dienst.

Deze vacature is gesloten. Het heeft geen zin meer om te reageren.

Hopelijk spreken we elkaar snel!
Acquisitie naar aanleiding van deze vacature wordt niet op prijs gesteld.

Looking for an internship where you can develop new skills in communications, marketing, PR and event management? Do you have an interest in how AI & data science can contribute to a healthier society and better medical care? Want to work as part of a fun and inspiring team?

As Amsterdam’s key network for data- and AI-driven innovation Smart Health Amsterdam (Gemeente Amsterdam & Amsterdam Economic Board) in #the #life #sciences and #health sector, we’re looking for an intern. Interested? Get in touch today.

https://smarthealthamsterdam.com/p/jobs-at--smart--health--amsterdam Smart

Amsterdam: circulaire stad in 2050

Ondanks de coronacrisis zijn tal van bedrijven in regio Amsterdam bezig met circulaire projecten, business cases en onderzoeken. Net als de gemeente Amsterdam streven zij naar een circulaire stad in 2050.

Benieuwd? Bekijk de video Amsterdam: circulaire stad in 2050. Voor meer informatie kun je ook kijken op de CACR pagina of op amsterdam.nl/circulair.