ABSTRACT
Although Information and Communication Technology-ICT solutions have been used for a long time in various sectors of the economy, recent developments in Communications, IoT, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence have brought very attractive possibilities for their wider adoption, especially with regard to cities and its citizens.In this article, some aspects of the international and the Brazilian technical regulations are addressed, with special attention to issues of interest to cities. The General Data Protection Law of Brazil is highlighted.Some specific projects and initiatives related to smart cities are also presented and commented on, such as the National IoT Plan and its consequences, besides other initiatives to address smart cities.Additionally, some aspects of present days combat actions in the Covid-19 pandemic and its relationships with public policies applied to cities are highlighted.Finally, considerations about the need for effective and efficient public policies to reinforce the resilience of cities, including tackling biological hazards, are addressed. © 2020 IEEE.