Opportunities for Open Government in the Arab...

www.ArabSocialMediaReport.com

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Twitter: @FadiSalem

Rewiring Information FlowsRewiring Information Flows

Opportunities for Open Government Opportunities for Open Government in the Arab region in the Arab region

Fadi SalemDirector, Governance and Innovation, Dubai School of Government

UNPAN, Cape Town, 10‐12 October 2012

http://www.arabsocialmediareport.com/

The past of Information’s role in Transparency and Accountability in Government: ‘Al-Khazna’ or ‘Bait el-Mal’, 780 AD

““Open GovernmentOpen Government””

in the Arab World: in the Arab World: No New ConceptNo New Concept


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


The InterThe Inter‐‐connected Arab World Todayconnected Arab World Today

A DEMOGRAPHIC

revolution:

–

Young population (“youth bulge”)

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Massive unemployment (“100 million jobs”)

A SOCIAL

revolution:

–

New social norms

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Expectations: Good enough is not enough anymore

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Maturity: Economic and democratic freedoms

A TECHNOLOGICAL

revolution:

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Critical mass of Internet, mobile and social media users

‐

Increased accessibility (cost, knowhow)


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


The Shift: 2010The Shift: 2010‐‐2012 2012

2010

2011

Social connections

Entertainment

SOCIAL

Forum for debate

Block Internet/SM

Engage with citizens

Disseminate info

Organize protests

Citizen journalism

POLITICAL/Activism

Sharing media

2012

Development

Social Entrepreneurship

Institutionalized

Civil Society

Economic Opportunities

Government Adoption


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


The Arab Social Media Report SeriesThe Arab Social Media Report Series

•

Facebook usage 2010‐2012–

Global and Regional Rankings–

Gender, Demographic Breakdown–

Language Breakdown

•

Twitter usage & trends 2011/2012–

Twitter population–

Tweets volume–

Trends

•

Regional Surveys–

Youth Activism–

Women Empowerment–

Social Media Impact on society–

Entrepreneurship / employment


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Arabic the fastest growing language on Social Media

Tweets by Language ‐

GCC

(during March , 2012)


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Social Media Growth in the Arab World: Social Media Growth in the Arab World: Facebook Regional Snapshot Facebook Regional Snapshot

Oct 2010

Users:

18.7 m

Penetration: 5%

Oct 2012

48 m

12.6%

34.5 m

10%

Oct 2011

Impact of Arab uprisings on Facebook Growth

Grew 30%

in Q1 of 2011

Compared to 15‐18%

in Q1 2010 & Q1 2012


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Penetration in the Arab World Penetration in the Arab World ‐‐ Sep. 2012Sep. 2012

•

2 GCC countries (UAE, Qatar), plus Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia

dominate the top five Arab FB users as percentage of population.

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70%

youth under 30.

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34% women only.


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Societal Transformations Societal Transformations in the Arab Worldin the Arab World

Open Government PotentialOpen Government Potential


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Stronger Social Connections?Stronger Social Connections?

Virtual Civil Society: Virtual Civil Society: Impact on Culture & IdentityImpact on Culture & Identity


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Understanding Society Better?Understanding Society Better?


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Twitter:

@ArabSocialMedia


Contribution to Society?Contribution to Society?


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


•

Made Trust transmittable

through communities

New Social Trust DynamicsNew Social Trust Dynamics

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Lowered the “cost”

/ “risk”

of

trusting

Closed Facebook Groups


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Enhancing Flow of Information from Enhancing Flow of Information from Citizens to Government?Citizens to Government?

Do you feel you can freely express your political views

using social media? – Q3 2011


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Egypt: Internet Traffic Egypt: Internet Traffic (Jan 28 to Feb 2, 2011)(Jan 28 to Feb 2, 2011)

– Google as a sample

Source: Google.comwww.ArabSocialMediaReport.com

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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Primary Impact of Blocking the Internet Primary Impact of Blocking the Internet during Civil Movements during Civil Movements ––

Q1 2011Q1 2011


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


A Tool for Arab Women Empowerment? A Tool for Arab Women Empowerment? Social Media: a Gender Equalizer?Social Media: a Gender Equalizer?

Environmental vs. Personal factors


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Examples of Arab WomenExamples of Arab Women’’s Use ofs Use of Social Media in Civic ActionSocial Media in Civic Action

Harass Map •

Launched in late 2010, re‐

launched in Oct. 2011

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Objective: To help tackle

sexual harassment of

women in Egypt through an

SMS reporting system.

Women 2 Drive•

Launched in May 2011

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Objective: To call for

women’s right to drive in

Saudi Arabia.


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Twitter:

@ArabSocialMedia


Social Media use by Politicians & Social Media use by Politicians & Political Campaigns Political Campaigns ‐‐

Q1 2011Q1 2011

No Impact: Use of social media will not impact my vote

Negative: Less likely to vote for candidates who use social media

Positive: More likely to vote for candidate who uses social media to connect with citizens


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Impact on Employment, Entrepreneurship & Impact on Employment, Entrepreneurship & Social EntrepreneurshipSocial Entrepreneurship


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Tackling Youth Unemployment

Where Does Social Media Fit In?

• Youth in the region have been empowered by social media to bring about change in their countries..

• Fundamental shift in types of social media usage in the past 2 years:

Can this same phenomenon also play a similar role in the economic empowerment of Arab youth?


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Do you think the impact of growth of social media was

positive or negative on the following:

Perceptions of Public Sector Employment

I no longer strive to work in a public sector job, but before I used to.


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


PostPost‐‐modern Foreign Policy Making?modern Foreign Policy Making?


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


ROI for ROI for ‘‘Open GovernmentOpen Government’’??

•

Direct Material Benefits (financial) : –

Reducing costs

of government transactions. –

Enhancing investment environments

and attracting private sector

participation.

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Nurturing “knowledge economy” and economic growth.•

Direct Immaterial Benefits: –

Development of multichannel synergies within government.–

Increasing citizens’

satisfaction with government.–

Increasing levels of trust, accountability and transparency (political trust).•

Indirect Benefits: –

Altering existing shapes of relationships between society and government

(social trust).

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Increasing social acceptance of technology among citizens (technological

trust), and creating an ‘innovation culture’.

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Basis for the “Information society”:–

Indirect development : Infrastructure, legislation, education, change the

culture in doing business in government

Impact of Social Media on the flow of information:

1.

Removed hierarchical channels of filtering

2.

Increased free flow of information, ideas and knowledge between

individuals and groups.

What is rewired information flows is doing?

1.

Unleash new forms of innovation in society.

2.

Reduce the transaction cost of exchanging information.

3.

Increased ‘social trust’

among large groups in society.

4.

Shifted culture from “individualist”

to “collectivist”

(teamwork, group

action, social entrepreneurship, etc.).

5.

Convergence between social and traditional media

6.

Increase cross‐gender information flow

7.

Created ‘virtual’

civil societies’

that didn’t exist in real life in many

countries.

8.

Changes in culture and identity

Ready for Open GovernmentReady for Open Government……New New ““cultureculture””

& mode of & mode of ““Information FlowsInformation Flows””

in Societyin Society


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Twitter: @FadiSalem


Twitter: @[email protected]



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Twitter: @ArabSocialMedia



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