People-centered smart urbanization: A framework proposal for Türkiye

The widespread use of digital technologies in cities following the Covid-19 pandemic, which gripped the world in 2020, has sparked discussions about their impact on human rights, particularly surveillance and privacy. These discussions highlighted the importance of protecting digital rights in smart cities, as emphasized by the UN's "People-Centered Smart Cities Program" launched in 2021. This UN-led initiative strengthened similar efforts by the EU and other international organizations. People-centered smart cities represent an approach to urbanization sensitive to digital rights. They prioritize protecting and promoting human rights at the local level by adopting international human rights norms as an ethical standard. Local governments are now seen as key actors in the international human rights regime, responsible for safeguarding these rights through their services. Consequently, the human rights city approach, evolving since the late 1990s, has broadened to encompass the people-centered smart city concept alongside the rise of smart cities. Turkey, unveiling its second national smart cities strategy in 2023, reflects this global trend by adopting a broader perspective on smart urbanization. This approach moves beyond a technology-focused lens to consider social and ethical dimensions. Given the limited national literature on the ethical aspects of smart cities, this study aims to propose a framework for people-centered smart urbanization in Turkey. It is expected to contribute to both the literature and the national smart city strategy in the medium term.