From the tech reporter who closely followed the Sidewalk Labs controversy in Toronto comes an incisive exploration of what this urban development failure reveals about Big Tech, data, and the monetization of everything. When former New York deputy mayor Dan Doctoroff arrived in Toronto, he promised a transformative approach to urban living through technology, captivating the local community. In 2017, with a prime piece of underdeveloped lakeshore land available, Sidewalk Labs, backed by Google co-founder Larry Page and chairman Eric Schmidt, won the bid, outshining competitors. However, soon after the victory, tensions surfaced between Doctoroff's team and Waterfront Toronto, the government entity overseeing the project. As plans expanded to include hundreds of additional acres, concerns arose regarding the public's benefit from Sidewalk's vision for a high-tech neighborhood and the data it intended to collect from residents. This struggle to limit Sidewalk Labs' influence became a pivotal moment in the global fight for digital rights and the encroachment of corporate power into everyday life. In the tradition of corporate dramas like Bad Blood and Super Pumped, this narrative underscores that the battle against the overwhelming might of Big Tech is far from over.
