Long Beach is offering residents a firsthand look at its data collection practices through community-led "data walks," the city announced. These interactive tours aim to foster understanding and trust in how personal information is handled, coinciding with a new digital rights platform set to launch this spring.
In collaboration with California State University, Long Beach, the city's Department of Technology and Innovation is spearheading this initiative. According to the city's press release, the goal is to advance the Long Beach Smart City Initiative's solutions to civic challenges by involving the community, staff, and the private sector in exploring and implementing cutting-edge technologies. While taking a 1.5-mile stroll through Long Beach neighborhoods, participants will experience "smart" city technologies, such as security cameras and payment kiosks, providing feedback on data privacy notices that inform on data use to improve services.
"The City of Long Beach is always committed to building a clear and transparent relationship with its residents," Mayor Rex Richardson said, as reported by the press release. The digital rights platform is described as an educational tool that will help expand residents' digital rights and understanding of the city's data privacy methods.
Participants will test the new platform and contribute feedback about their perceptions on the city's approach to privacy. They will be guided by city staff and university researchers who will leading groups of 15-25 volunteers during the walk. Engaging the volunteers, researchers will collect their insights through a post-walk focus group discussion. Volunteers will earn a $25 Target gift card for their two-hour commitment.
The initiative stems from the Long Beach City Council's decision back in 2021 to implement Long Beach Data Privacy Guidelines, providing a blueprint for incorporating privacy protections in city technologies and services, as the city-states. The upcoming platform will include a redesigned webpage with educational materials and a channel for community input to foster a dynamic dialog between technology and city residents. Signage with QR codes, available in multiple languages, will be placed near city technologies to steer users to the new resources.
Sign-ups for the data walks are available online, with options for language interpretation services. Schedules and locations, including Billie Jean King Library, Michelle Obama Library, and Mark Twain Library, can be found in the city’s announcement. For more details on the Smart City Initiative, members of the public are encouraged to sign up for the newsletter and follow Long Beach’s social media channels.
