The privacy edition: Smart cities, classified intelligence, and online spaces.
S1E8 | Highlights and impact of this week's top tech themes.
Hi, Friends —
Welcome to [our digital disco]! This episode officially marks the two-month birthday of this newsletter. Keep scrolling for this week’s key themes in tech news and other misc. thoughts (Snack Time). You can also check out last week’s newsletter here.
Notable Themes
☞ Smart cities & the data they collect.
Smart cities leverage digital sensors to improve government services, infrastructure, and safety — and have become more common than many realize. This tech is also increasingly used in private buildings. While this digital infrastructure can help improve energy efficiency and comfort, it also raises serious privacy concerns. More buildings and city streets deploy smart sensors — which can range from movement to the content of conversations — and have sent technologists and researchers into an ongoing debate about what privacy actually means outside of our personal homes, and how much data privacy citizens want to have.
Why does it matter? The smart city market is expected to grow to $708B by 2031, driven by factors including population growth, urbanization, and the need for more sustainable infrastructure. Cities including Singapore, Oslo, and New York apply a wide array of technologies, from electric vehicle charging stations to smart devices that monitor traffic, noise, and air quality.
Pros: AI and other emerging technologies are transforming the way we live and interact with urban surroundings, and can help cities become more efficient, cost-effective, and responsive to residents' needs. The services provided can include optimization of traffic, waste management, and environmental services, promoting well-being by making cities more livable and sustainable. The growth of the smart city market could also support economic growth, both by create new jobs in the tech sector and optimizing how government funds and services are allocated to the communities that need it most.
Cons: “Smart” technology collects vast amounts of data, including individuals’ locations, activities, and even biometric information. This data could be used for a variety of purposes, including surveillance and biased law enforcement. Much of this data is being taken without their consent or even knowledge. If not secured, sensitive information might into the wrong hands and lead to identity theft, fraud, stalking, and other crimes. The development of smart cities could also excluding low-income communities from services, leading to gentrification and worsening inequalities (such as access to technology and other resources).
☞ The recent intelligence leak, gov’t power, and internet monitoring.
US intelligence agencies may modify their approach to monitoring — and scrubbing — social media and chat rooms. The tightening comes after a headwind of leaked classified documents, which contained sensitive information including intelligence on the Ukraine war and spying reports on allies. The intel remained on Discord for months before being noticed by the government. This incident has led to a review of how classified information is handled and additional measures to prevent future leaks.
Why does it matter? The incident demonstrates the need for government agencies to deepen their security of systems and data — the stolen information could be used to harm national security, and also undermines allies’ trust in the US. Current and former officials have expressed concern that there may be a large online blind spot in the US intelligence gathering process. Yet others argue that monitoring or scrubbing these sites, even for illegally leaked materials, could be a breach of civil liberties. Various government agencies are still seeking to understand how many classified US documents may still be circulating and how they went unnoticed.
Pros: The leak highlights the increasing importance of data security for both government agencies and private companies, and may inspire necessary investment in securing potentially-dangerous data. Moreover, while some of the leaked information may be sensitive, much of it is either banal or of genuine public interest. Some argue that the incident exhibits a need to reduce the amount of classified material, and instead heighten security on only information that could really endanger lives.
Cons: The leak will likely impact US foreign relations and other countries' trust in the US (particularly allies). The stolen information — 100+ pages of classified documents shared on the open internet — could be used to harm national security or to gain an advantage in international relations. E.g., classified US and NATO plans detailing the Ukraine war aren’t meant to suddenly fall into everyone’s hands (particularly enemies). Many are questioning how securely gov’t agencies protect and monitor both information and the people meant to protect it. Moreover, the events have spurred questions about how does the US monitors online spaces. E.g., To what extent should gov’t agencies be allowed to monitor and alter information on social media? How will the leaks change this power? What does this signify for the privacy of individuals in online spaces?
Other Highlights
Snacktime
📓 Reading: The beauty of TikTok’s secret, surprising, and eerily accurate recommendation algorithms by MIT Technology Review.
♬ Listening to: YEИDRY’S Nena - A COLORS SHOW.
✰ Thinking about: Paths of least resistance. What does it mean to set yourself up for success? How do we increase its likelihood, build habits, and sustain — or more importantly, reduce the need for — motivation?
Next up
✎ From jailbreaking to working 3+ jobs: How are everyday people using ChatGPT and GPT-4?
✿ As always — any and all feedback is welcome! In the meantime: give someone a hug and say an ‘I love you’ this week. Make the world a little happier.