Who is the ‘smart’ resident in the digital age? The varied profiles of users and non-users in the contemporary city

Tali Hatuka and Hadas Zur
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Tali Hatuka: Tel Aviv University, Israel
Hadas Zur: Tel Aviv University, Israel

Urban Studies, 2020, vol. 57, issue 6, 1260-1283

Abstract: This paper is centred on the levels of participation in digital municipal platforms, and its goals are threefold: (1) to assess the normative aspirations and limitations of policy makers and key actors in the municipality with regard to the smart resident idea, with a focus on participation and privacy; (2) to assess and categorise levels of participation in varied social and geographic contexts in the city; and (3) to assess the possible link between participation and privacy practices among users. Empirically, this paper studies the practices of the inhabitants of Tel Aviv-Yafo City, with a focus on the use of digitised services provided by the municipality and the use of the celebrated project ‘Digi-Tel’ – a digital card that offers to the inhabitants of the city services, discounts, targeted information and benefits around the city. The assessment of the inhabitants’ practices is based on a survey that was conducted in four neighbourhoods with different socio-economic, ethnic and geographical characteristics. The survey is supplemented with interviews of prominent figures in the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality to understand their views on participation and privacy. The paper concludes with a discussion of the varied profiles of the users and non-users of digital platforms in the city, revealing their complex approach to participation in the digital age.

Keywords: digital age; neighbourhoods; networks; technology; smart resident; smart cities; 数字时代; 街区; 网络; 技术; 智能居民; 智能城市 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:57:y:2020:i:6:p:1260-1283

DOI: 10.1177/0042098019835690

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