Mobile data is a promising data source, but there are key things to first address

Mobile phone

Mobile devices generate a range of data about their users.

Photo credit: File | AFP

Three years ago, a day like today, we met with other stakeholders to discuss the potential of unlocking the power of mobile data (Mobile data is internet content delivered to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets over a wireless cellular connection) particularly in developing markets. Mobile data offers larger and more representative samples, in near real-time, and at far lower costs than alternative means of data gathering. Indeed, we believe the opportunities to leverage these data sets for development goals are only starting to be explored.

Mobile devices generate a range of data about their users. Information about identity, location, social patterns, movement, finances and even ambient environmental conditions can be derived from the data logged in mobile systems. As this data is uniquely detailed and tractable, it can capture information not easily found from other sources at a scale that would be difficult to recreate through other means. In particular, mobile is one of the only large-scale, digital data sources that touch large portions of low-income populations in developing countries, implying that solutions identified in one market can easily be experimented with in another. While this data is personal and private, if it is analysed under proper protections, ethical and anonymization protocols, it can be used to enhance the lives of poor people around the world across a range of dimensions.

For example, mobile data has been used by researchers, mobile operators and governments to help plan emergency response after natural disasters, enhance access to financial services for the poor, track the spread of infectious disease, and understand migration patterns of vulnerable populations. Indeed, the full range of ways that mobile data can be used to improve the lives of poor people is only beginning to be explored.

Economic development projects require keen insight into people’s lives—their choices, habits and behaviours, their health and prosperity levels, and their needs and aspirations. It is critical to clearly understand the problems of the poor before trying to help fix them. Therefore, having granular data that captures the experiences of poor communities, along with the analytical techniques needed to decipher that data, allows researchers and development practitioners to improve the accuracy, effectiveness, and reach of their initiatives. Practitioners in the field of economic and social development can better monitor and track the progress of their programs in almost real time, bring projects to scale at a lower cost, gather rapid feedback from the field, collaborate more effectively with stakeholders, and demonstrate impactful outcomes.

While the opportunity to use mobile data for development goals is increasingly accepted, challenges and barriers remain. Data needs to be available and accessible. It needs to be presented in a format that can be understood and utilised. Operators’ commercial objectives need to be considered. Most importantly, data must be well governed in order for it to be used in a way that does not infringe on data protection rules and an individual’s rights including their right to privacy.

Many operators, researchers, and governments have explored ways to deal with these challenges— some more successfully than others—through anonymization, aggregation, opt-in/opt-out models, regulations, data sharing agreement models and legislation. The areas of privacy and data sharing are especially critical and are evolving every day, meaning it will take time for a consensus to be found. Still, many of the relevant parties are gradually coalescing around uniform practices.

Mobile data has enormous potential to support development efforts and through this to improve the lives of poor people around the world. Researchers have demonstrated the power of these data sets to improve financial services, support disaster relief, and to track and prevent the spread of infectious disease, to name just a few of the possible opportunities.

While the examples are encouraging, too often these projects are trials or proofs of concept and have not been repeated or broadened to the fullest extent possible. There is an opportunity to learn from the best examples that have been demonstrated to develop a foundation for broader use of mobile data through a range of potential activities:

  • Establishing mechanisms to coordinate and collaborate between researchers and mobile network operators to identify and execute on development opportunities.
  • Building a structured and managed framework for submitting and approving research requests in ways that protect mobile users’ personal information and the commercial objectives of service providers.
  • Allowing for data to be combined with third party and government data sets to enrich and accelerate research efforts.
  • Developing clear standards and nuanced best practices for handling privacy issues.
  • Creating a technical architecture to automate data aggregation and re-distribution processes, possibly through a trusted clearinghouse or set of approved and controlled data repositories.
  • Providing forums to replicate and scale successful development examples beyond the trial or proof of concept phase.

In order to leverage the power of mobile data sets, trusted relationships between operators and researchers must be formed. Data must be made available and accessible, which will require both regulatory solutions on the part of governments and technological solutions on the part of operators. Complex issues of privacy must be confronted, including the very volatile relationship the public has with the concept of having their personal information shared.

In the end, the success of using mobile data to enhance development initiatives will depend on the cooperation of all parties involved: governments, mobile operators, researchers, and mobile phone users. Once all of these entities fully understand the power of this data and recognize its ability to solve difficult problems and improve people’s lives, the opportunities for development will only be bound by our collective imaginations.

Nixon Ngecheo is the Senior Program Officer, Digital Systems & Solutions for Agriculture Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa