Description
Technologies are increasingly integrated into our public spaces. They collect and send information on air quality, traffic, waste and more to meet efficiency, safety, and environmental targets. As these spaces become more connected, digital security vulnerabilities and risks multiply. I argue that risks and vulnerabilities are not currently well addressed in the process of implementing new technologies in public places. Based on 23 international interviews with actors involved in the process of integrating these technologies, I show that narratives which are currently exchanged do little to assist in managing digital security risks. These narratives are based on generic innovation and technology narratives of the past. Throughout the process of integrating technologies into public spaces, such narratives interplay with practices in a way which often has negative consequences for digital security. To improve digital security for technologies in public spaces, we should consider how we can use more effective narratives and what happens to these narratives in practice.
