Towards Ethical Implementation of Urban Digital Twins: Addressing Key Challenges & Recommending Best Practices

Abstract

Urban Digital Twins (UDT) are transforming the way cities are designed and managed while also fostering trust, collaboration and transparency for all, including citizens. UDTs are a virtual built-up environment model, primarily adopted to digitally deliver data insights and evidence-based decision-making capabilities to policymakers, city managers and planners. The essential nature of data in UDT requires that its implementation and adoption follow an ethical, robust and secure data governance practice. This paper stems from a research collaboration between the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre and Dublin City Council, via the Smart Dublin unit. The authors distil their situated experiences and knowledge into 12 key principles, organised under the pillars of Data, People, and Platform, and conclude with actionable recommendations for facilitating ethical and inclusive UDTs.