smart cities

Paradoxically, as cyberspace provides a world without borders, human population is becoming more centralized. The increasing production of information in cities raises issues of privacy, access, and inclusion. Who will own the brains of Smart Cities? Fast Company sees a battle for control between "hacktivists" pushing for self-serve governance and companies providing opaque systems based on proprietary technology. Achieving balance depends on an agenda of openness, transparency and inclusiveness led by municipal government and enabled by open standards.