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
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
Political Communication
The ability and willingness of voters to communicate their needs andpreferences to their representatives in government.
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
ICT Solutions?
ICT revolution sweeping across the developing world:
20% of Africans have used a computer
85% of Africans have access to mobile phones
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
Overarching Questions
Can mobile–based ICT innovations be used to:
1 Strengthen political accountability and representation?
2 Flatten political access to marginalized populations?
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
Outline
1 What we think we know
2 What we know we don’t know
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
Lessons learned: flattening access
0 20 40 60 80 100
−0.
4−
0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
Traditional political engagement given marginalization
Marginalization Index (Percentile)
Pol
itica
l Eng
agem
ent
0 20 40 60 80 100
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
ICT engagement given marginalization
Marginalization Index (Percentile)
SM
S ta
keup
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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)
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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)
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
Users in the Pilot versus Full Scale Program
uSpeak
Den
sity
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
Gender: uSpeak Users
Women Men
Pilot
Den
sity
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
Women Men
Gender: Pilot Users
uSpeak
Den
sity
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
Wealth: uSpeak Users
Much Worse Worse Same Better Much Better
Pilot
Den
sity
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
Much Worse Worse Same Better Much Better
Wealth: Pilot Users
uSpeak
Den
sity
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
Education: uSpeak Users
No schooling Some primary Some secondary Post−Secondary
Pilot
Den
sity
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
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
Guy 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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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?
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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?
Guy Grossman Mobile civic tech April 27, 2016
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