Can big data improve public policy analysis?

Abstract

We conduct a systematic review targeting the idea of whether big data can improve public policy analysis. The ideas about the benefits and risks of applying big data technologies on public policy analysis are summarized. Big data can provide accurate, proactive, and participatory policy analysis but at the same time it raises risks in data privacy, data misuse and bias, and inequality. We then examine the detailed implementation of big data in each public policy stage. The experiments or practical applications from the relevant literature demonstrate how exactly big data is used to improve policy analysis. This study will guide governments on adopting big data for public policy analysis.