Digital Kiosks Offer Information And Security Risks (Updated)

Exploring the city just got easier, thanks to interactive digital kiosks. 

IKE Smart City kiosk, Chinatown
Photo: Tom Eats Houston

UPDATE, July 16:  The kiosk at Bellaire and Corporate has disappeared. The reason is unknown, but it sure looks like a vehicle took it out. 

Strewn around the kiosk's base was what looked like the remnant of shattered car parts, typical when a vehicle strikes something. 

Gone, 7/16/2023

On April 10 in Chinatown, I came across this digital kiosk at the southeast corner on the intersection of Bellaire Boulevard and Corporate Drive. I was intrigued. I visit Chinatown frequently, and don't recall seeing it just a couple of weeks ago. My initial reaction was, "Cool!" but I also wondered if the changing images on each side would be a distraction to drivers at this very busy intersection.

Like electronic ambassadors, these kiosks will help you find your way around a neighborhood that you're not familiar with — and maybe show you new things in your own part of town.

The kiosks do concierge duty, showing you nearby things to do, parks, clubs, aquariums, reviews, museums, dining, local activities and more. You can have the kiosk send details to your email or phone. It will help you with public transit, and because it's a hot spot it can connect you to Wi-Fi. 

But there's also a dark side to all of this, as I'll get into below.

A press release from the mayor's office in February 2022 announced that "wayfinding kiosks called IKE (Interactive Kiosk Experience)" would gradually be appearing around Houston – not all once.

Digital kiosk, a guide
for any neighborhood
Photo: Tom Eats Houston

"The City of Houston released an RFP (Request For Proposal) for Interactive Digital Kiosks in March of 2020 and selected IKE Smart City as the vendor in March of 2021, which was later approved by City Council in May….Installation will occur in phases of 25 kiosks throughout several neighborhoods including Downtown, Uptown, Midtown, Montrose, Museum District, Texas Medical Center, Greater Third Ward, EaDo, Upper Kirby, and more. Further, at least 10% of all IKE kiosks will be located in underserved neighborhoods, as defined by the City, including Gulfton, Sunnyside and others," the press release noted (emphasis mine). Full Press Release

Community Impact Newspaper reported: 

The first of the kiosks was unveiled Feb. 7 on Avenida de las Americas in downtown Houston. The rest will be placed all over the city in three phases of 25 kiosks each, 10% of which will be located in underserved communities, city officials said.

All 75 kiosks should be installed by 2023. In a 12-year contract with IKE, the city of Houston is expected to receive between $11 million and $50 million in advertising revenue from the kiosks.

On a less touristy note, "the kiosks provide access to social services information such as homeless shelters, addiction recovery programs, and food support," according to IKE Smart City. https://designsmartcity.com/ike-smart-city-houston-to-be-deployed-and-privacy-issues/

THE DARK SIDE: BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING

"Users of IKE kiosks should be concerned about two things," warns designsmartcity.com.

Sharing certain technical information with an “internet service provider” is a slick way of saying IKE and Third-Party Partners are ID'ing every Bluetooth enabled device.

The second concern is third party internet service providers are under no obligation to delete a user’s personal information every 12 months, or ever.

Things get a lot more disconcerting after reading IKE’s “Camera” section. 

Additionally:

Everyone passing in front of an “IKE Smart City” kiosk will be recorded and have their images stored for at least 15 days. Except of course if IKE or law enforcement want to save the footage, then it is anyone’s guess how long they will retain the footage for.

For more about privacy issues and the kiosks, see the article "IKE Smart City – Houston To Be Deployed and Privacy Issues – How Do They Make Money?" 

SAFETY CONCERNS

Some Houstonians fear that the kiosks present a danger, both as obstacles and as distractions:

Community activist and Heights resident Kevin Strickland told Community Impact Newspaper he is worried about safety, especially for bicyclists and as a potential distraction to drivers. 

Cooke Kelsey is the chair of Scenic Houston’s advocacy committee, a visual environmental preservation group. In a phone interview, he said he thinks it is hypocritical of the city to implement the kiosks while also pushing for better bike lanes and pedestrian amenities.

Yes, these kiosks offer convenient information and probably help drive traffic to nearby businesses. But, like so many other things in the digital world, it comes with potential privacy issues. 

Sources:

• Mayor's Office Press Release - City of Houston press release – Feb 7, 2022 
• IKE Smart City – Houston To Be Deployed and Privacy Issues – How Do They Make Money? – Smart City Kiosk RFPs – Feb 15, 2022 
• Proposed IKE kiosks spark safety, image concerns in the Heights – Community Impact – April 6, 2022