Securing the smart city: patterns of public acceptance for integrated technological solutions

Security solutions for smart cities are a contested topic, particularly with the increasing deployment of advanced technologies such as AI. However, current discussions often focus on specific solutions such as live facial recognition in public spaces, yielding mixed results for citizen acceptance. In this paper we offer a systematic investigation of citizen acceptance by comparing disparate types of security solutions and disparate deployment situations for these solutions. This investigation offers explanations for the often seemingly disjointed patterns of citizen acceptance. It further evidences the expected safeguards and the actors, citizens deem (most) responsible for securing public spaces. Our study is relevant to organizations tasked with planning and developing security solutions in smart cities, particularly to inform proactive engagements with citizens about smart city security solutions.