Dal panopticon alla smart city. Il controllo dello spazio urbano

Abstract: Starting from the panoptic vision structured by the philosopher Bentham and Foucault’s reflections, this study aims to propose a reflection on the implications deriving from the relationship between the progress of Information and Communication Technology companies, which have grown enormously in recent years and in particular in conjunction with the recent events related to the pandemic, and the urban context. In fact, these circumstances are transforming the city by contributing on one hand to governing an ever-increasing complexity, but on the other hand to create processes and structures that are increasingly effective in monitoring rather than amplifying freedom, civic sense or respect for energy and environmental resources.
The meaning and realization of the Smart City will thus be discussed, which was intended, in the intentions, to lead to an emancipation of knowledge and a more livable environmental interaction, but which has often turned into a system that allows pervasive control of the population.

Keywords: Smart City; Panopticon; Control; Big Data; Privacy.