Diplomatic World_nummer 55

For that you need a top-down approach by the government
and stakeholders to create the framework. But once that
framework is present, innovative entrepreneurship from
below needs to grow. That should lead to creativity, as
frustration is often the source of innovation.
Facebook, Google, Apple, Uber, etc. already do all that, but
they have a different approach to privacy, of course. Living
Labs can play an important role in that bottom-up story.
Otherwise, it must be clear that Smart City is sometimes
more about fast failure than about quick wins.
HOW WOULD THAT LOOK, IN PRACTICE?
A government should be able to ensure that they make data
available from the top, for example. Whenever you talk
about data, sooner or later the issue of privacy comes up.
A government can incorporate privacy into the system from
the outset, creating a context where data is used smartly,
while respecting the privacy of citizens. Players such as
WHAT ARE THE PITFALLS FOR CITIES AND
REGIONS THAT SEEK TO BE “SMART”?
Cities must be aware that they must keep their options
open as far as possible, and not become dependent on a
single supplier, for example, which is known as ‘vendor
lock-in’. That is something to be wary of, and is easy to
prevent.
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