Chris Liebold
Our team member Max Schindler has published a new article in the journal *Social Media + Society*: ‘Social Media and the Smart City: A Systematic Review of City- and Citizen-Led Digital Spaces’.
This systematic literature review examines how social media is researched and conceptualised in the context of smart cities. Based on 50 academic articles, the study shows that social media has so far been viewed primarily as a tool for urban optimisation, data collection and the provision of municipal services. In this context, the social and cultural dimensions of digital urban life, as well as the perspectives of citizens, are often neglected. The study therefore advocates a more participatory and socially embedded perspective on smart cities and smart citizenship – particularly with regard to new technologies such as generative artificial intelligence.
Publication: Schindler, M. (2026). Social media and the smart city: A systematic review of city- and citizen-led digital spaces. Social Media + Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051261462375