Smart Cities or Digital Surveillance? Rethinking Infrastructure, Trust, and Control

Smart cities promise efficiency—but without transparency and public control, they risk becoming surveillance machines in disguise.

In this episode, the guest Dr. Thomas Linder argues that building a “smart city” isn’t just about installing tech — it’s about putting trust, data rights, and people first.

He breaks down real examples — from the failure of a high‑profile smart‑city project in Toronto to the risks and challenges of applying smart‑city ideas in Africa.

The discussion highlights serious concerns: surveillance, data control, vendor‑driven infrastructure, and how “smart public infrastructure” can threaten privacy and equity if it’s not built with citizen rights and accountability in mind.

Linder emphasises that for a smart city to truly work, tech must serve citizens — not the other way around. Data ownership, transparency, and fair governance are essential to avoid turning “smart cities” into surveillance states.