Applicability of surveillance systems in smart cities: A risk and threat-based assessment

With the transition to a settled lifestyle, cities have become the central focus of human life; however, rapid population growth and demographic changes, coupled with migration, unplanned urbanization, and infrastructural deficiencies, have emerged as major challenges. Increasing demands in essential service areas such as transportation, education, healthcare, security, energy, water, and waste management necessitate the efficient and effective utilization of existing resources. This situation further intensifies the need for innovative solutions in urban governance. The advancement of information and communication technologies has created a critical opportunity for cities to use their resources more efficiently and to provide higher-quality services to their residents. Accordingly, technology-driven solutions that facilitate urban life and enhance the quality of living have laid the groundwork for the emergence of the concept of the "smart city." A smart city represents not only a technological transformation but also a holistic approach that prioritizes efficiency, sustainability, and security in urban management. By producing rapid, flexible, and innovative responses to the challenges posed by dynamic urban life, the smart city paradigm seeks to maximize the use of limited resources while simultaneously improving citizens' quality of life. In this respect, smart cities stand out as a strategic model for addressing the challenges of contemporary urbanization.