The Use of Open Data in Lebanon

There are many areas where we can expect open data to be of value. There are also many different groups of people and organizations who can benefit from the availability of open data, including the government itself. At the same time, it is impossible to predict precisely how and where value will be created in the future. It is already possible to point to a large number of areas where open government data is creating value. Some of these areas include transparency and democratic control, participation, self-empowerment, improved or new private products and services, and much more. Having access to open data can help support innovation; advance the governmental accountability and democratic reform, leveraging public sector information which in return helps develop consumer and commercial products. The open data also helps in supporting research, support consumer’s decisions, and proactive disclosure. Thus, in order for the open data to work in the interest of society, it requires careful planning and regulation, in the same way in which other basic infrastructures such as water and electricity networks are strictly regulated by law. Based on the 2015 open data index, which is the annual effort to measure the state of open governmental data around the world, Lebanon earned the 98th rank out of 120 countries.

Briefly, Lebanon has experienced periods of growth and brilliance as well as war and political instabilities. As a nation that bridges the cultures of east and west, Lebanon currently reports the highest proportion of its population aged 65+ years among countries in the Arab world, and is predicted to age rapidly in the first half of the 21st century. (Saxena, 2008) Open data can be useful to several, if not all the areas in Lebanon.

One possible reason for using open data is to work on issues such as election monitoring or social justice or economical development. Most of that government data is public data by law; many governments around the world have been publishing their data on specialized websites free of charge. In Lebanon, civil society is using open data far in advance of elections to facilitate evidence-based discussions on election reform. In advance of upcoming parliamentary polls, Lebanese lawmakers have been engaging in debate on how to reform the country’s legal framework governing elections. One of the key questions being considered is how to design an electoral system that is representative and inclusive, ensuring that the will of the diverse electorate is reflected and respected. Until present, data has not been used to inform discussions on electoral reform. Lebanon has not conducted a census in eight decades and there exists a dearth of credible information on present-day ethnic composition, religious affiliations, or gender breakdown.

Another use for open data in Lebanon, can be the use of the data for solving problems regarding electricity shortage around Lebanon or even transportation issues. In the majority of the areas in Lebanon, the electricity tends to only reach the houses of the citizens for a few hours per day. This in turn causes a struggle for the Lebanese in their daily lives. Even with the agreement that occurred, the use of generators is straining the household expenses. With access to open data, in a government context, the government data should be discoverable, accessible, and reusable (Gray et al, 2011). Though sometimes overlooked, opening access to data promises a plethora of benefits. Specifically in terms of electrical consumption, the Lebanese population can have an insight on what the government is providing them with, and in return help control the expenses.

Civic engagement blossoms when governance is open. When both the government and its citizens enter a collaborative framework that goes beyond data ownership, the government empowers social mobilization. By inviting public engagement, the government gives up its exclusive power to take action in the public realm and inevitably surrenders to the citizens’ interventions. This in turn generates transparency and trust. Allowing people to monitor governance processes and giving them access to open data allows them to develop an insight towards their government, thus they either mobilize their discontent or engage in satisfaction. A better informed citizenry and open government will promote informed decision-making and a higher proficiency in problem-solving (Kitchin, 2011).

However, some of the data shown to the public has zero credibility, such as the information available on location, land ownership, water quality, weather, and procurement tenders. Another example is that the data integrated in the election results and national map datasets are claimed to be ‘unofficial’, whereas the national statistics, government spending and government budget contain outdated data. Inaccurate, outdated, insufficient, and closed data foster a general distrust in statistics and in the Lebanese government. The government should control the data that is open to the public, in order to keep some trust between the Lebanese people and the governmental members. Otherwise, if the governmental representatives fail to do so, reducing the risk of mistrust and hate towards the governmental members can be avoided by not showing any of the data available to the public. This should be taken deeply into consideration in Lebanon due to all the political circumstances that are found

References

Class slides and readings

Gray et al, 2011

Kitchin, 2011

Saxena, 2008