Moderated by Seda Guerses, TUDelft (NL)
Panelists: Lina Dencik, Data Justice Lab, University of Cardiff (UK), James Farrar, Worker Info Exchange (UK), William Webster, University of Stirling (UK).

Location: Area42 / Room A, Paleizenstraat 46, 1030 Brussels

The rise of smart cities is taking place in parallel to the global development of platforms generating unprecedented urban data maps. From mobility to food, from cleaning to accommodation, policing to general surveillance, a variety of policies and services are being increasingly built upon – and constantly generating – massive amounts of data. While the discourse around smart cities often assumes common and noble goals between those processing data and those to whom the data relate to, the growth of platforms has met digital resistance, mostly from those who work (in a way or another) for them. This panel will tackle issues around cities, data, and platform labour, asking notably:

•  How can we study better data and/in the city to illuminate contemporary urban governance?

•  What do apparent data cracks of platform urbanism tell about data and labor exploitation?

•  How is worker surveillance by platforms impacting different rights, including labor, immigration, and consumer rights?

•  Which is the role of data protection law in these tensions?

Part of the VUB StadsSalonsUrbains 2019-20 Lecture series: Platform Urbanism: Data Commons, Citizen Contestation and the Governance of Cities

Further information availablw here.