The Truth About Smart Cities

Privacy and Autonomy Concerns

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DEC 30, 2023

Dear family,

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I have received emails from so many of you regarding the expansion of smart city technologies in our communities, and their potential impact on our way of life and our democratic society. Concerns are rising nationwide as governments start to bring in smart technologies to manage services.

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This has been an issue that I have tracked for years, and there are a lot of layers of concerns when it comes to implementing these smart cities. I have researched this issue and spoken to academics, civil liberties experts, and municipal councillors, and they all agree that privacy, autonomy, and security must be protected as part of any infrastructure development involving smart technology. That’s why I have decided to put together a video to explain what smart cities are, why they are being promoted, what’s happening here in Canada, and some of the concerns raised by your fellow Canadians. In this video, I dig into the concerns around privacy and autonomy and where all of this could lead. We must understand the implications of these technologies before we are so far down the road that we’re unable to turn back. 

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I hope that you find this video informative. Stay tuned for more analysis to come on other aspects of smart cities, including their connection with net-zero world goals. 

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Thank You,
Dr. Leslyn Lewis​