Trust, transparency and technology: Providing digital sovereignty through a Digital Rights Platform

This article analyzes data collected during user testing of a community-informed “Digital Rights Platform” in Long Beach, CA. The Platform uses physical signage and an online portal to provide residents with a clear understanding of how local government applies predictive and diagnostic analytics to personal data. Grounded in theoretical frameworks of trust, surveillance studies and Contextual Integrity, this interdisciplinary project is motivated by the conceptualization of privacy as both a human right and a societal value. The research encompasses both theoretical and applied elements of digital sovereignty, and represents a praxeological investigation of digital sovereignty-related issues in the smart city context. The research’s central questions explore how the Digital Rights Platform influences residents’ attitudes toward and comfort levels with surveillance technologies deployed by the City of Long Beach. The study also examines whether—by providing transparency and accountability for City data collection—the Digital Rights Platform strengthens trust in local government or shifts power to residents. Both the theoretical and policy implications of this project are transferable and scalable to cities beyond Long Beach.