The new city regulators: Platform and public values in smart and sharing cities

Sofia Ranchordás*, Catalina Goanta

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Cities are increasingly influenced by novel and cosmopolitan values advanced by transnational technology providers and digital platforms. These values which are often visible in the advancement of the sharing economy and smart cities, may differ from the traditional public values protected by national and local laws and policies. This article contrasts the public values created by digital platforms in cities with the democratic and social national values that the platform society is leaving behind. It innovates by showing how co-regulation can balance public values with platform values. In this article, we argue that despite the value-creation benefits produced by the digital platforms under analysis, public authorities should be aware of the risks of technocratic discourses and potential conflicts between platform and local values. In this context, we suggest a normative framework which enhances the need for a new kind of knowledge-service creation in the form of local public-interest technology. Moreover, our framework proposes a negotiated contractual system that seeks to balance platform values with public values in an attempt to address the digital enforcement problem driven by the functional sovereignty role of platforms. (C) 2019 Sofia Ranchordas and Catalina Goanta. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Original languageEnglish
Article number105375
Pages (from-to)1-15
Number of pages15
JournalComputer Law and Security Review
Volume36
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2020

Keywords

  • Digital platforms
  • E-GOVERNMENT
  • ECONOMY
  • Internet-of-things
  • LAW
  • MORAL VALUES
  • POLICY
  • POLITICS
  • Privacy
  • Public values
  • Smart cities
  • Urban law

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