Smart Cities and Political Accountability: Challenges of Data-Driven Governance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijasse.v3i3.74Keywords:
Smart Cities, Data-Driven Governance, Political Accountability, Privacy and Security, Citizen ParticipationAbstract
The world has witnessed a tremendous shift with regard to the ways in which government has been exercised and that is due to smart cities which rely on digital technologies and data integrated solutions. However, there are several issues that are associated with them in terms of political accountability when it comes to the adoption of such technologies. This paper analyses the adoption of smart cities and the implications of globalization and technological advancement with regards to data, on governance, decision making and processes in the management metropolitan resources. The collection of data from constituents and services and infrastructure and their analysis enables better efficiency in government and urban governance while opening up avenues for data monopolies, data abuse and weaker accountability. The paper highlights salient issues about the privatization of citizens' data & the absence of citizens' supervision & inequitable access to the information as it explores cases of cities that implemented smart technologies solutions. It describes how to use digital governance without violating democracy and how to change governance institutions to increase public confidence in digital technology used in smart city initiatives. The paper also recommends policies that would help improve political accountability in smart cities.
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