Four recommendations for an open and fair smart city

Posted on 23/Mar/2015

by Marleen Stikker
She is the president and co-founder of Waag Society

The big question is this: do administrators and politicians understand what the consequences of the “smartness” they are injecting into public infrastructures?

Recommendation 1: Focus on peer-to-peer technology.

In its infancy, the Internet’s designers opted for an architecture of distributed communication. This means that, within the network, each node is equal to any other node without the intervention of a central source. Such networks are often called “peer-to-peer” (P2P)—equal to equal. Within these networks, everyone has access to the same tools without having to ask for permission.

This distributed, horizontal architecture of the Internet has been the determining factor for its disruptive nature. It undermines traditional hierarchies, and provides opportunities for newcomers to upset antiquated business models in no time.

This leads to an on-going struggle between old and new powers. To keep the Internet open to new entrants and provide everyone the same opportunities, net neutrality remains crucial. Unfortunately, net neutrality often comes under pressure politically, and must be defended from those with ulterior motives.

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