Urban security using technology democratically: development of a self-assessment tool for local authorities

• In Event: POL Panel 16. Policing and modern technologies 2

Abstract

Security authorities are using innovative technologies (drones, CCTV, biometric sensors, predictive algorithmic tools, among others) to protect their communities. Across major European cities and other urban contexts, their use is becoming more and more common, while at the same time many ethical, legal and social issues are emerging. Considering the conceptual and technical complexity of these issues, there is a significant risk that the undemocratic use of these innovative technologies by local authorities may adversely affect citizens' civil rights and liberties. A key objective of this work is to address the conceptual and applied gaps associated with the use of innovative technologies to improve urban security in terms of ethical, legal, and social impacts. This general objective has been achieved by developing a self-assessment tool that allows local authorities to analyze their specific technological use cases and assist them in making critical decisions. The democratic use of innovative technologies for urban safety is defined as a set of practices that satisfy the following three interrelated requirements simultaneously: (1) legal fit, (2) ethical commitment, and (3) positive social impact.

Authors

• Francisco Javier Castro-Toledo, Plus Ethics

• Ana Belén Gómez-Bellvís, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche