Tag Archives: digital city

It’s no secret that technology has become an important part in nearly everyone’s live, whether directly or indirectly. In class, we’ve discussed how it affects our social lives, interactions, and relationships. An while technology has been used by both the private and public sector, it seems that the two have now combined.

In an annoucement made on Monday, May 16th, Mayor Bloomberg has pledged to make New York City the “No. 1 Digitial City”. Using the popular social networking sites of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and FourSquare, the goal is to make the City of New York more Internet accessible.  It is also to redefine the presence of New York online, redesigning its website and plans to “to acquire a .nyc suffix for Web pages”.  The city has also hired it’s first ever Chief Digital Officer.

After reading several articles, the point of all this is still unclear to me.  The only explanation I could find was a quote from Mayor Bloomberg: “We want New York City to be the nation’s premier digital city – in how local government interacts with New Yorkers, in how New Yorkers have access to and capitalize on new technologies, and in how our tech and digital media sectors evolve, grow businesses and create jobs”.  This, to me, seems pretty vague.  The city appears to just be expanding on the general purpose of the Internet: to connect people more quickly and efficiently.

With all the budget cuts (including education cuts which have forced Baruch students to visit Albany and lobby to keep our Pell Grants and block outrageous CUNY tuition hikes), Bloomberg’s goal just seems pointless. He even flat out states that the city does not have the money to complete this task on its own and will look to companies for aid.

Don’t you think that the money can be better put to use? What about restructuring the MTA so we have fewer corrupt officials and more service? This may seem cynical but at the end of the day, the city is constantly trying to bring in tourists and improve the things that RESIDENTS have no concern over.