A privacy expert has quit the Google-owned Sidewalk Labs smart city project, citing fears of constant surveillance within the proposed city. Ann Cavoukian, the former privacy commissioner of Ontario and a consultant to Sidewalk Labs, a company owned by Google which aims to develop a “smart city” in Toronto, has quit the project according to Gizmodo. Cavoukian was recruited to join the project as a consultant but handed in her resignation letter recently, stating: “I imagined us creating a Smart City of Privacy, as opposed to a Smart City of Surveillance.”In 2017, Waterfront Toronto enlisted the help of Sidewalk Labs, which is linked to Google’s parent company Alphabet, to develop a plan for a smart city in the town’s Quayside area. As part of this development, Cavoukian created a plan called Privacy by Design which aimed to protect the data privacy of the citizens of the smart city. But the smart city has faced a growing level of criticism … [Read more...] about Privacy Expert Leaves Google-Backed ‘Smart City’ Project over Surveillance Fears
Smart cities projects
Saudi smart city project names tech board members amid Khashoggi controversy
A $500 billion Saudi smart city project on Tuesday named multiple US tech leaders to its advisory board even as the country faces controversy over the alleged death of a Saudi journalist. The project, called NEOM, plans to build a futuristic cross-border city based on smart technology. Members of its advisory board, according to a post on NEOM's verified Twitter account, included top executives from the tech industry in the US, including Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen, co-chair of OpenAI Sam Altman, former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, CEO of Alphabet's subsidiary Sidewalk Labs Dan Doctoroff, former Dow Chemical Company CEO Andrew Liveris and more.Saudi news outlet Argaam on Tuesday initially published a 19-member list of the NEOM advisory board that included Apple Design Chief Jony Ive's name, according to Business Insider. But Apple late Tuesday said Ive's inclusion on the list was a mistake, and he has nothing to do with the project. And … [Read more...] about Saudi smart city project names tech board members amid Khashoggi controversy
CORRECTING and REPLACING Ping An Set to Reveal Smart City Project
One of China’s most significant personal financial services groups will preview its “Smart City” project, which will focus on smart solutions to city operations. HONG KONG–(BUSINESS WIRE)–August 17, 2018– Please replace the release dated August 16, 2018 with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions. The corrected release reads: PING AN SET TO REVEAL SMART CITY PROJECT One of China’s most significant personal financial services groups will preview its “Smart City” project, which will focus on smart solutions to city operations. One of China’s largest personal financial service groups, Ping An, is debuting its innovative new Smart City and AI initiatives at next week’s China Smart City Expo in Shenzhen, China. As one of the expo’s key organizers, Ping An will be launching their new … [Read more...] about CORRECTING and REPLACING Ping An Set to Reveal Smart City Project
Ping An Insurance Set to Reveal Smart City Project
One of China’s most significant personal financial services groups will preview its “Smart City” project, which will focus on technology and finance in the insurance-providing space. HONG KONG–(BUSINESS WIRE)–August 17, 2018– One of China’s largest personal financial service groups, Ping An, is debuting its innovative new Smart City and AI initiatives at next week’s China Smart City Expo in Shenzhen, China. As one of the expo’s key organizers, Ping An Insurance will be launching their new “1+N” platform. Through their Smart City initiative, the Ping An will cement its status as a global technology and financial services powerhouse. Ping An’s Smart City “1+N” platform is based on four core technologies: intelligent cognition, AI, blockchain and cloud technology. This platform, namely a set of the Smart City Cloud, … [Read more...] about Ping An Insurance Set to Reveal Smart City Project
Sidewalk Labs Signs New Deal In Toronto Smart City Project
August 2, 2018 - Written By Daniel Golightly Alphabet Inc’s Sidewalk Labs has reportedly signed a new agreement to begin planning for the build-out in what will be an experimental Toronto waterfront neighborhood called Quayside. The smart city project was initially approved way back in October but concerns expressed by local residents during a community meeting in November prompted the negotiation of a new agreement for the project. Primarily, those include an agreement to continue consulting both Waterfront Toronto and the general public about proposed changes and a general push toward the use of technology to further Toronto’s best interests. Those interests will need to align with the oversight agency and the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation Act. Moreover, the agreement calls for the founding of Digital Governance Framework Principles, which will center around data sovereignty, security, and usage. Finally, the project plan must be approved by … [Read more...] about Sidewalk Labs Signs New Deal In Toronto Smart City Project