Protecting the Data that Makes Cities Smart

Calling fears about privacy abuses related to smart city data overblown, a new report states that the key to building and sustaining smart cities is balance.

“Data collection is what makes cities and communities ‘smart.’ It can generate cost and time savings, increased productivity, and public health and safety,” according to “Balancing Privacy and Innovation in Smart Cities and Communities,” a March 6 report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. “But smart cities’ data collection is also the source of privacy concerns when the data collection involves personally identifiable information. Smart city technologies that collect data about residents, particularly sensitive data—such as personal information that could be used for identity theft—make attractive targets for cybercriminals.”