After the fires in Maui, a local resident nicknamed Auntie complained that Lahaina was slated to become a "satellite city"   Residents posted on X (Twitter) that, before the fire, rumors had been circulating about a Digital City, or a 15-minute city, being set up on Maui   Naturally the fact-checkers are treating these people like they're just "conspiracy theorists," but let's look at what the new types of cities – also called Smart Cities – really are.

What are Smart Cities?

"Satellite city" just refers to a smaller city next to a larger one.   Think Fort Worth and Dallas.  It's possible that Auntie got her words mixed up and meant to say "Smart City" instead of satellite city.  Or, she could have meant that Lahaina was supposed to be a satellite city for something bigger that was slated to be built.