2009 reality-mining-of-mobile-communications-toward-a-new-deal-on
In this chapter of the Global Information Technology Report 2008‑2009, Alex Pentland argues that the pervasive digital traces left by mobile phones constitute a nascent, global “nervous system” that can be mined to reveal real‑time patterns of human behavior at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. He illustrates the concept with concrete applications: traffic‑congestion heat‑maps derived from GPS data; analysis of face‑to‑face versus email communication within a bank that predicts productivity and job satisfaction; correlation between regional communication diversity and socioeconomic deprivation; and mapping of movement patterns in cities to identify behavioral sub‑groups and “information ghettos.” Pentland highlights the transformative potential of reality mining for public‑health surveillance, emergency response, personalized medicine, and commercial targeting, while emphasizing that traditional demographic data are poor predictors of behavior. The chapter culminates in a policy discussion, proposing a “new deal on data” that grants individuals ownership rights (possession, use, disposal) over their data, mandates anonymized aggregate analysis for the common good, and calls for new institutional frameworks and market mechanisms to balance privacy, value creation, and societal benefit. He warns that without careful governance, the same technologies could enable an Orwellian surveillance state.
Topics
Reality Mining as a Global Nervous System
The concept that mobile phones and other digital devices act as sensors, creating a worldwide, real‑time map of human activity.
Traffic Congestion Prediction via Mobile GPS Data
Using minute‑by‑minute GPS traces from phones to generate heat‑maps that forecast traffic jams days in advance.
Organizational Communication Patterns Reveal Productivity
Analysis of face‑to‑face and email interaction networks within a bank, showing that communication structure predicts up to 30% of productivity variance and 40% of creative output.
Communication Diversity as a Socioeconomic Indicator
Correlation between regional communication diversity (derived from phone call/email data) and deprivation indices, demonstrating how “information ghettos” can be identified.
Beyond Demographics: Behavior‑Based Insights from Mobile Data
Illustrates how GPS‑derived movement patterns expose behavioral sub‑groups, their hang‑outs, and limited mixing, enabling more precise advertising, urban planning, and policy interventions.
Public‑Health and Emergency Applications of Reality Mining
Describes how mobile trace data can detect disease outbreaks (e.g., SARS), track disaster‑related population flows, and support rapid medical response.
Data Ownership, Privacy, and the Proposed New Deal on Data
Advocates three ownership rights—possession, use, disposal—and a fourth principle encouraging anonymous, aggregate data for the common good; outlines market‑based incentives and institutional reforms.
Institutional Design for Ethical Data Governance
Calls for new regulatory bodies, market mechanisms, and safeguards to prevent secrecy or “big brother” scenarios while ensuring transparent, efficient government use of data.