Centering “Smartness:” the Challenges and Opportunities of Doing Ethics for “Smart” Environments

It has been established that “smartness” is a form of branding to market cities as modern, innovative, and efficient. Submerged under these overarching values are several others that depend on who is wielding the terminology, ranging from sustainability to entrepreneurship. Smartness rarely centers low-tech common-sense solutions or meeting the demands of those most vulnerable in society. This talk unearths what we mean by smartness and considers the inherent challenges of making smart city technology “ethical.” Finally, it addresses initial steps to make “doing ethics” easier.