Evaluating the current setup of Digitale Gracht Amsterdam

Since 2017, the city of Amsterdam has been actively engaged in the Digitale Gracht project. This initiative involves the creation of a citywide network comprising various sensors and cameras designed to measure and analyze the movements of pleasure, passenger, and transport boats across the city's extensive canal system. The data collected through this network not only provides the municipality with invaluable insights into waterway usage but also serves as a crucial tool for policymaking and enforcement.

However, as the project evolved, questions have arisen regarding the responsibility and proportionality of its current design. In the context of the Digitale Gracht project, ‘responsibility’ refers to the extent to which it aligns with public values, including principles such as transparency, data minimization, and the responsible use of technology. ‘Proportionality’ concerns whether the resources allocated to the project are commensurate with its goals.

In response to these concerns, the Responsible Sensing Lab was approached to evaluate the project's existing setup and chart a path towards a more responsible and proportional alternative. This undertaking seeks to strike a balance between achieving the objectives of the city of Amsterdam in its responsibility to facilitate safe and smooth sailing on its waterways, while respecting its dearly held values.

Key questions and objectives

Throughout this project, the following key questions guided our analysis and recommendations:

What can we continue to do?

• Assessing the aspects of the current Digitale Gracht project that align with its objectives and public values.

What can we do in a more responsible manner?

• Identifying opportunities to improve the project's design, operation, and data handling to better adhere to principles like transparency, data minimization, and responsible technology use.

We delivered a comprehensive advisory report.

Collaboration and Involvement

We actively engaged with various stakeholders, including team members from the Responsible Sensing Lab, Team Digitale Gracht, and external researchers from TU Delft for example prof. dr. ir. Marijn Janssen, full professor in ICT & Governance. Collaboration and input from these parties were instrumental in driving the project forward.

Next step

We are currently conducting the Analysis of Reduction in Sensor Installation Points for Digitale Gracht Amsterdam. Two researchers from the TU Delft, Winnie Daamen and Yufei Yuan, are analyzing the relationship between the number, location, and type of sensors. They are investigating what type of information the municipality needs, what types of sensors are necessary for this information, what information can be provided by the existing sensors currently, and whether there are more responsible alternatives. The outcomes of this analysis will be used for the potential re-evaluation of the Digitale Gracht program.