Mobile civic tech in low-income countries: taking stock

Guy Grossman

University of Pennsylvania

April 27, 2016

Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016

Why Mobile Civic Tech?

Starting Point: Democratic Theory

To the extent that politicians’ behavior is (also) a function of whatthey think are the preferences of their constituents . . .

Then the quality of democratic institutions as a tool of representationdepends on the quality of political communication

Starting Point: Democratic Theory

To the extent that politicians’ behavior is (also) a function of whatthey think are the preferences of their constituents . . .

Then the quality of democratic institutions as a tool of representationdepends on the quality of political communication

Political Communication

The ability and willingness of voters to communicate their needs andpreferences to their representatives in government.

The Problem: barriers to articulating interest

1 Weak communication channels from citizens to theirrepresentatives in government → “low equilibrium”

Low quality service delivery

Non-programatic parties

2 Political access is distributed unevenly: women, poor, distantcitizens have far fewer opportunities to raise voice

ICT Solutions?

ICT revolution sweeping across the developing world:

20% of Africans have used a computer

85% of Africans have access to mobile phones

Overarching Questions

Can mobile–based ICT innovations be used to:

1 Strengthen political accountability and representation?

2 Flatten political access to marginalized populations?

Outline

1 What we think we know

2 What we know we don’t know

Lessons learned: underlying demand

1. There is underlying demand to use ICTs for political communication

‘Citizen voice’ pilot project in Uganda recorded 5% uptake

‘Complaint platform’ in Arua: 58 SMS / village in first 6 months

Lessons learned: underlying demand

1. There is underlying demand to use ICTs for political communication

‘Citizen voice’ pilot project in Uganda recorded 5% uptake

‘Complaint platform’ in Arua: 58 SMS / village in first 6 months

Lessons learned: demand does not guarantee uptake

2. But . . . “if you build them, they won’t necessarily come”

Uganda’s parliamentary platform: 1, 946 messages in 6 months

Corruption reporting in Nigeria: 818 messages from 683, 000 blasts

Lessons learned: demand does not guarantee uptake

2. But . . . “if you build them, they won’t necessarily come”

Uganda’s parliamentary platform: 1, 946 messages in 6 months

Corruption reporting in Nigeria: 818 messages from 683, 000 blasts

Lessons learned: flattening access

3. ICTs have a real potential to reduce inequality in political access

Share of women and poor among message senders was higher thantheir share in traditional forms of participation

Marginalized populations are no-more price sensitive → place highvalue on IT communication

3. ICTs have a real potential to reduce inequality in political access

Share of women and poor among message senders was higher thantheir share in traditional forms of participation

Marginalized populations are no-more price sensitive → place highvalue on IT communication

0 20 40 60 80 100

Traditional political engagement given marginalization

Marginalization Index (Percentile)

0 20 40 60 80 100

ICT engagement given marginalization

Marginalization Index (Percentile)

Lessons learned:

4. But participation of marginalized groups is far from guaranteed:

super sensitive to ‘marketing’ channel

increases with personalized invitations (due to low efficacy)

Lessons learned:

4. But participation of marginalized groups is far from guaranteed:

super sensitive to ‘marketing’ channel

increases with personalized invitations (due to low efficacy)

Users in the Pilot versus Full Scale Program

uSpeak

Gender: uSpeak Users

Women Men

Gender: Pilot Users

uSpeak

Wealth: uSpeak Users

Much Worse Worse Same Better Much Better

Wealth: Pilot Users

uSpeak

Education: uSpeak Users

No schooling Some primary Some secondary Post−Secondary

Education: Pilot UsersGuy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016

Lessons learned: message recipient

5. The identity of message recipient is very consequential

National parliament vs. local gov → what gov’t does

Politician vs. civil servants → gov’t responsiveness and efficacy

Lessons learned: message recipient

5. The identity of message recipient is very consequential

National parliament vs. local gov → what gov’t does

Politician vs. civil servants → gov’t responsiveness and efficacy

Lessons learned: gov responsiveness

6. ICTs don’t make non-responsive politicians, responsive

Politicians can derail an ICT platform by being non-responsive

ICT platforms need to change incentives, not just knowledge

Lessons learned: common knowledge

7. Common knowledge is key

“They know that we know that they know . . . ”

but not easy to achieve in G-2 world

Community dialogues can be used to achieve this goal

Lessons learned: anonymity

8. Sender confidentiality is paramount

There is a social cost for reporting problems with public services

Anonymity is required to minimize those costs

Lessons learned: anonymity

8. Sender confidentiality is paramount

There is a social cost for reporting problems with public services

Anonymity is required to minimize those costs

Unexpected benefit of anonymity

9. Senders use ITs to communicate local public goods problems

Impersonal communication is not conducive for personal requests

Almost all messages are about service delivery deficiencies

We still don’t know many things

1 Are citizen messages thought as complements or substitutes?

2 How important is intra-community coordination?

3 What should be considered “high” and ”low” uptake?

4 How to better involve civil society (e.g. petitions)?

5 How to incentivize governments not to derail ICT platforms?

We still don’t know many things

1 Are citizen messages thought as complements or substitutes?

2 How important is intra-community coordination?

3 What should be considered “high” and ”low” uptake?

4 How to better involve civil society (e.g. petitions)?

5 How to incentivize governments not to derail ICT platforms?

Moving forward

Bridge better the 2G-4G divide (e.g., location information)

Experimenting different models: crowdsourcing vs. seedsourcing

Better analytics of citizens’ mobile “footprints”

Create collaborations between researchers and Tech

Mobile civic tech in low-income countries: taking stock

Technology

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