Being seen = being safe?
2026-03-31 16:00 - 18:30 (Europe/Amsterdam)
Privacy in the Age of AI Surveillance – ECDA Community Meet-up

From smart cameras and autonomous drones to acoustic sensors, adaptive lighting, and AI-driven analytics, public spaces are rapidly becoming intelligent environments. These technologies promise safer streets, faster emergency response, improved urban management, and a higher quality of life. Yet as cities become more responsive, they also become more observant, raising urgent questions about privacy, accountability, data ownership, and democratic control.

Who decides how data is collected, interpreted, and acted upon? How transparent are the algorithms shaping our public realm? And how can communities ensure that technologies designed to enhance safety do not undermine trust or civil liberties?

This fireside chat explores the evolving role of AI-powered surveillance and sensor technologies in public spaces. We want to talk about the tensions between security and freedom, innovation and oversight, efficiency and equity. At the same time, we present emerging civic initiatives such as AI Maps, the Bold Cities, and Olifanten Pad. These initiatives propose community-driven approaches to enrich city data while safeguarding public ownership, strengthening local control, and reinforcing positive, collective notions of safety.

After the conversation, we invite our attendees to stay for networking bites and drinks while testing some demos of the initiatives presented.

Date
Tuesday, March 31 2026

Time
16:00- 18:30

Location

Erasmus Data Collaboratory | House of AI, Polak-building, Room Y1.10, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam

Ticket information

Free entry, register below

Event language

English

Program

16:00-16:30
Walk-in coffee & tea

16:30-17:20

Fireside chat: Privacy in the Age of AI Surveillance

Jiska Engelbert, Associate Professor at the Erasmus School of Social & Behavioural Sciences where she leads Team Public Issues & Imaginaries, Academic Director of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for BOLD Cities

Marc Schuilenburg, Professor of Digital Surveillance at Erasmus School of Law with focus on the integration of AI and algorithms in public safety, one of the primary investigators within AI Maps

Frederike Manders, Innovation & Partnership Manager: Program Manager South Holland Immersive Network & Ecosystem Erasmus University Rotterdam, Olifantenpad CS

17:30-18:15
Bites, drinks & demos

Due to the capacity of the room seats are limited, so please make sure to secure your spot as soon as possible via the form below:

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