Expert report criticises Sidewalk Labs’ Plan

Waterfront Toronto’s Digital Strategy Advisory Panel submitted a report to Waterfront Toronto criticising Sidewalk Labs’ Master Innovation and Development Plan (MIDP). The report highlights some deficiencies in the plan concerning digital innovation, data and privacy governance, and intellectual property issues. For example, the report does not specify how individuals, civic society, or businesses can participate in matters such as design, implementation, operations or sustainability. The report also stresses that the overall data governance mechanisms should be handled by Waterfront Toronto and its government partners, while Sidewalk Labs should make sure its own proposals for data collection, processing and use, will be more transparent, accountable and coincide with a privacy protection regime. The panel consists of 15 people, including academics, executives, as well as innovation, urban technology, and legal experts to provide expert advice to Waterfront Toronto. The report was published as part of the public consultation on the matter which began this past July.