Abstract

Democracy dies in the darkness without official data. Yet a veiled sword of Damocles is hanging over the democracy that keeps records on everyone and everything.
When discussing the importance of official statistics, we are used to emphasize its reliability, regularity, and completeness. However, the abundance of data can become as great of a risk as the lack of it. In our era of Big data and technological opportunities, the Big Brother metaphor is becoming less and less figurative. As data can become a dangerous weapon when the moral compass is missing. This presentation raises the question of whether the availability of real-time detailed citizens' data places us in an ethical minefield.
Should we be suspicious of technologies that are capable of making our data meaningful? Or should we keep our data fragmented? Should we limit the empowerment of National Statistical Institutes? Where is the boundary between the good and not-so-good uses of data? Can we risk losing progress and global competitiveness?
This presentation discusses the rapidly changing role of National Institutes of Statistics, their mandate, and their capabilities. Historically, these governmental institutes had significant powers to manage the citizens' most sensitive data for official statistics under strict regulations of law. However, the rapidly changing reality dictates a pace that NSI’s can no longer keep up with. Hence, there are increasingly frequent discussions about data governance, the new roles of NSI’s, experimental methods, and the expanded (or “secondary”) use of data.
Statistics Lithuania, having acquired a new mandate in 2023, has started its journey along this unexplored path.