Scenic America

Say NO to "WiFi Kiosks" that will pollute our sidewalks with more advertising

Wifi kiosks in New York have become hubs for loitering and illicit activities

The Philadelphia Art Commission has granted conceptual approval to a plan to bring advertising kiosks, called Links, to commercial corridors in the City of Philadelphia. The proposal must come back before the Art Commission before final approval, so it's important that you use the form below to tell Commissioners you don't want more commercial advertising on our city streets.

A company called Intersection is seeking to install 100 lighted advertising kiosks in Philadelphia, most in Center City and University City. The structures would be primarily composed of large digital screens showing advertising, with one screen facing each direction. The narrow side facing the sidewalk would include a tablet device for placing phone and video calls and USB ports for charging portable electronic devices. The kiosks would also provide Wifi hotspots so anyone within range could access the internet.

A test program of similar kiosks in New York City has run into a host of problems, including users viewing pornography on the kiosk tablets, causing people to loiter for hours on end, and creating safety and privacy concerns from residents who live near them. In New York the kiosks have cameras installed, although the operators have not said exactly how the cameras will be used. It is not clear if the kiosks proposed for Philadelphia would have cameras, but the ability to see who's looking at ads and make judgments about them is something that billboard companies see as part of the future of outdoor advertising.

TAKE ACTION: Use the form below to tell the Art Commission that you don't want advertising kiosks invading Philadelphia's public spaces. Simply fill in your information below, click "Submit" and your letter will be delivered. We strongly encourage you to personalize your letter to make it even more effective.

Subject:

Your Letter:

I'm writing to ask that you reject any proposal to put advertising "kiosks" on our city sidewalks, no matter what public benefits the operators claim they would provide.

The list of concerns over these kiosks is substantial: they would add visual pollution to our streetscapes and light pollution to the night sky, put driver and pedestrian safety at risk, cause privacy and safety concerns and potentially act as places for people to loiter and commit illicit activities.

A similar kiosk program in New York City has resulted in many such unintended consequences, including people viewing pornography on city streets, loitering for hours, and causing other public health and safety concerns.

No matter what public benefits this proposal is touting, the bottom line is that this is an attempt by a private company to profit from access to Philadelphia's public spaces.  As we work to define our city as a world-class destination, the country's only UNESCO-designated World Heritage City, we must reject proposals like this that diminish and homogenize our city's public spaces.

I look forward to hearing how you will act on this matter.

Thank you,

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