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Frida and the smart city

C1 · 21 words

Frida and the smart city

In a new quarter in Haselhorst the streetlights count bicycles and the bins report when they are full, and Frida, who rides through it every day, wants to know who sees the data. Learn to talk about infrastructure, networked mobility and data sovereignty, and to weigh convenience against privacy.

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Dialogue

A short conversation with the words of this scenario. Tap "Translation" under a line to see what it means.

  1. Frida

    Translation

    Excuse me, are you in charge of this neighbourhood? I'd have a few questions.

  2. Urban planner

    Translation

    Yes, I'm from urban planning. How can I help?

  3. Frida

    Jede Laterne hat einen Sensor, der mich offenbar jedes Mal erfasst, wenn ich vorbeiradle.

    Translation

    Every streetlight has a sensor that apparently records me every time I cycle past.

  4. Urban planner

    Er erfasst nur Fahrräder, und zwar völlig anonym. Aus den Daten lässt sich nicht ablesen, wer wann wo unterwegs war.

    Translation

    It only records bikes, and completely anonymously. The data can't tell anyone who was out and about where and when.

  5. Frida

    Schön und gut. Aber wer wertet die Daten aus, und wer garantiert, dass daraus nicht schleichend Überwachung wird?

    Translation

    That's all very well. But who analyses the data, and who guarantees that it won't gradually turn into surveillance?

  6. Urban planner

    Ausgewertet wird ausschließlich im Bezirksamt, und niemand wird einzeln überwacht. Transparenz ist uns wichtig, deshalb auch die Infotafel.

    Translation

    Only the district office analyses them, and nobody is monitored individually. Transparency matters to us - hence the information board.

  7. Frida

    Oh. Und wozu dann die ganze Vernetzung?

    Translation

    Oh. And what's all the connectivity for, then?

  8. Urban planner

    Translation

    For networked mobility: you find out in real time where a charging point is free and how heavy the traffic is right now.

  9. Frida

    Zugegeben, die Bequemlichkeit ist verlockend. Nur: Wie viel Privatsphäre geben wir dafür preis?

    Translation

    Admittedly, the convenience is tempting. Only: how much privacy are we giving up for it?

  10. Urban planner

    Berechtigt. Deshalb entscheidet jede und jeder selbst, was erfasst wird - Stichwort Datensouveränität.

    Translation

    Fair point. That's why everyone decides for themselves what gets recorded - data sovereignty, in a word.

  11. Frida

    Klingt vernünftig, solange der Datenschutz kein leeres Versprechen ist.

    Translation

    Sounds sensible, as long as data protection isn't an empty promise.

  12. Urban planner

    Translation

    Good infrastructure needs critical questions like yours.

Words and Phrases

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