The Future City Challenge of Privacy in Public Space

Historically, anonymity has been an essential element and a major appeal of living in a city. It is an irony of our time that city has turned into a place where privacy is most at stake. Ubiquitous technology on which our urban lives depend has far-reaching legal and social implications. By constantly providing our data to the state and businesses in exchange for safety and free services, we have turned into ‘suspects’ and ‘consumers’. However, as citizens we can protect our rights in public space. Although, the right to privacy is not absolute, there are strict legal rules for when and how it can be limited.
At the webinar we will discuss:
• What is the right to privacy, and how it is different from the right to data protection?
• Why the power of data in public space must come with great responsibility?
• Why does no one read city services’ Terms of Use? • What are the legal grounds for banning facial recognition software?
• What can cities and citizens do to safeguard the right to privacy?

The webinar will appeal to scholars and students in a variety of academic disciplines, including law, sociology and urban studies.

Lecturer: Paulina Smykouskaya

Data Protection Officer at Avito.ru, tutor at Master's programme 'Prototyping Future Cities', HSE team coach for Price Media Law Moot

HSE University,