Big Data: What can official statistics expect?

What is it about?

For official statistics, Big Data open new opportunities: Statistical products may be delivered in shorter time, with more detailed breakdowns, at lesser costs, and with reduced response burden. However, a number of challenges are involved in using Big Data in official statistics: Solutions for methodological and technological issues are needed, a quality framework must be developed, and the staff has to get acquainted with new skills. Further issues concern the statistical environment such as legislative requirements, costs of sourcing of Big Data, and privacy, and have only indirectly to do with the statistical production. Finding solutions for these issues and developing standards that will be accepted internationally may require substantial efforts and take some time.

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Why is it important?

Lessons learned from Big Data projetcs show that official statistics cannot expect that Big Data will substitute actual data sources like data from surveys and administration; Big Data may be used as supplements for existing data in the production of certain statistics. This will allow taking advantage of their high actuality and might reduce the response burden on some respondents. However, finding solutions for dealing with the various methodological and other issues and developing standards that will be accepted internationally may require substantial efforts and take time.

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