Sidewalk Labs has massively scaled back its plans for its smart city development in Toronto, from 190 acres to just 12 acres at Waterfront Toronto. Still dependent on a public consultation, this huge climbdown is a major embarrassment, and possibly the clearest signal that the tide of public acceptance of web-major expansion has turned. Sidewalk Labs is still trying to spin the news as a positive. CEO Dan Doctoroff said “we are encouraged by [the] decision by the Waterfront Toronto board and are pleased to have reached alignment on critical issues with Waterfront Toronto.” Of course, the public consultation could see Toronto tell the company to sling its hook, and the appropriately named Block Sidewalk is calling for just that.…