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Getting personal: Five principles of digital responsibility for public service

OVERVIEW

Collecting and analyzing personal data has unlocked significant benefits for organizations across industries. Public service is no exception. As citizens demand more innovative services and a more tailored experience, gathering and using personal data will become even more critical. But what if people stop sharing their data so freely? Businesses and governments in both developed and emerging economies face this disruptive prospect. Recent Accenture research sheds light on a number of risks around the collection of personal data. Here, Accenture presents the findings of the research and shares five principles of digital responsibility to help address potential risks.

Click here to download the full article. Guarding and Growing Personal Data Value. This opens a new window. READ THE 2015 FULL REPORT by the Accenture Institute for High Performance

KEY FINDING 1

Data breaches rise. Citizen trust declines.

The number of data breaches is on the rise-undermining citizen trust and driving up costs.

73% INCREASE in U.S. government data breaches (from 26,942 in 2009 to 46,605 in 2013)

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Source: Techworld

$100 PER RECORD is the estimated cost of a government (non-healthcare) data breach

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Source: BankInfoSecurity

KEY FINDING 2

Opportunities for vulnerabilities increase with new data sources.

An Accenture online survey of government organizations around the world found:

92% COLLECT DATA directly from individuals

32% COLLECT DATA from Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as wearables and machine-to-machine communications

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Source: Accenture’s Guarding and Growing Personal Data Value Research 2015

A recent Accenture survey of citizens across 23 countries found:

More than half (55%) of citizens report that they are not confident in the security of their personal data.

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Source: Accenture Communications, Media and Technology Digital Consumer Survey 2014

KEY FINDING 3

Safeguarding personal data. Are we there yet?

An Accenture survey of government organizations found:

Protecting Data

73%	73% AGREE that citizens are becoming more aware of data privacy
65%	AND 65% OF CITIZENS are taking active measures (such as changing passwords more frequently and opting out of some services) to protect their information

Securing Data

95%	95% AGREE that enhancing data security is important
65%	BUT ONLY 65% OF CITIZENS are taking active measures (such as changing passwords more frequently and opting out of some services) to protect their information

Using Data

92%	92% AGREE it’s important to develop greater transparency about how citizen data is being used
59%	BUT ONLY 59% REPORT they are doing something about it

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Source: Accenture's Guarding and Growing Personal Data Value Research 2015

ANALYSIS

Addressing concerns while stimulating innovation.

Yes, there are growing concerns about the collection and use of personal data by business and governments. But those concerns shouldn’t stand in the way of delivering public service for the future.

Accenture believes five principles of digital responsibility—stewardship, transparency, empowerment, equity and inclusion—can address potential risks and fuel opportunities for more innovative and effective public services.

1. Digital Stewardship

Ensuring that management of personal data is consistent with the expectations of those providing it.

The UAE ID Authentication service—recognized as one of the world’s best biometric programs—not only allows government bodies to authenticate citizens’ identities in real-time but also enables electronic signatures in digital transactions. High security protects citizens’ fingerprints and other biometric data. Such data is stored in an encrypted container inside a Smart Card, which can be accessed only via biometric verification and authentication. Apart from biometric verification, the biometric ID card is also protected by eight other security features.
2. Digital Transparency

Demonstrating openness in how governments use personal data.

The Estonian government has updated its laws to ensure such transparency. The government may not ask for any piece of information more than once, and citizens have the right to know what data is held on them. By logging in with their e-IDs, citizens can see who is accessing their personal data and what kind of personal data is being accessed. Citizens also can prohibit third parties from using their data. They can even see if a police patrol has checked their car registration plate. In 2013, 1,370 requests for explanations and information of data access were processed.
3. Digital Empowerment

Giving individuals greater control over and insight from their data.

With the 2013 launch of the Healthline Symptom Checker mobile app, the New Zealand Ministry of Health has been able to provide a more convenient channel for citizens to seek health information. By entering their symptoms into the app, citizens can receive health advice ranging from information to manage the condition at home to calling an ambulance.
4. Digital Equity

Clarifying and potentially increasing the benefits citizens get in exchange for sharing their data.

In 2014, the Moscow municipal authority launched the Active Citizen mobile app. The app serves as a platform for popular referendums, as well as for citizens to report problems and discuss issues they are concerned about. Citizens can also post their addresses in their profile so that they receive signals about issues they might wish to participate in from their own area. Active Citizen incents citizens to participate with a variety of benefits, such as free theater tickets, free parking and other city services. In 2014, more than 140,000 people registered for the app.
5. Digital Inclusion

Using personal data to multiply positive societal outcomes.

The use of personal data is critical to the Jan Dhan Yojana Scheme—a financial inclusion program launched by the Indian government in August 2014. Using biometric ID cards to verify citizens’ identities, 120 million accounts were opened by January 2015—surpassing the program’s initial goal.