Conflicts and tensions in the people's digital vigilance to control the COVID-19 pandemic: the construction of smart cities, humanism and public sphere

• Autor(a) principal: Lima, Clovis Ricardo Montenegro de
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Röder, Elisângela dos Santos Faustino, Carvalho, Flavia da Silva, Günther, Helen Fischer
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Inter-Legere: Revista do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Sociais da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
• Texto Completo: http://revista.ibict.br/p2p/article/view/5448
• topic: Smart Cities; Deliberative policy; Digital vigilance; COVID-19; Smart Cities; Política deliberativa; Vigilância digital; COVID-19

In this article we want to discuss the tensions and conflicts in the development of Smart Cities in Brazil, particularly in relation to the geolocation of people for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Firstly, we discuss the concept of Smart Cities, particularly its origin and evolution. Smart cities are linked to the widespread use of digital technologies, especially information and communication technologies. The possibility of vilgilance of individuals through digital geolocation is highlighted. We question both the approach: 1) that technologies - as productive forces - are neutral, and 2) those that consider them essentially perverse. There is an emphasis on the humanistic criticism of technology, which subordinates the use of technologies to human interests and dignity. Finally, the case of conflict over the geolocation of people in cities for vigilance and control of the COVID-19 pandemic is investigated. This case updates the tension between community interests and individual freedoms in the public sphere. Deliberative policy is indicated as a way of composing freedom and community interests, as well as emerging guidelines and methods for developing Smart Cities.