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Over the past two years, dozens of organizations used Facebook's Data for Good products to improve wellbeing and save lives. Their most profound applications include disaster preparedness projects, vaccination campaigns, and effective deployment of services during times of natural disaster.

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All Case Studies Disaster Maps Disease Prevention Maps Future of Business Survey Insights for Impact Population Density Maps Social Connectedness Index

Natural disasters carry enormous costs every year, both in terms of lives and materials. We use social media data to examine connections between levels of social capital and evacuation behavior. This... Natural disasters carry enormous costs every year, both in terms of lives and materials. We use social media data to examine connections between levels of social capital and evacuation behavior. This work is the first of its kind, examining these phenomena across three major disasters in the United States—Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Maria—using aggregated, de-identified data from over 1.5 million Facebook users.

Disaster Maps

How Social Ties Influence Hurricane Evacuation Behavior

Natural disasters carry enormous costs every year, both in terms of lives and materials. We use social media data to examine connections between levels of social capital and evacuation behavior. This work is the first of its kind, examining these phenomena across three major disasters in the United States—Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Maria—using aggregated, de-identified data from over 1.5 million Facebook users.

Manhattan, Berlin and New Delhi all need to take action to adapt to climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While case studies on these cities provide valuable insights, comparability... Manhattan, Berlin and New Delhi all need to take action to adapt to climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While case studies on these cities provide valuable insights, comparability and scalability remain sidelined. We present three routes for expanding knowledge on global urban areas: mainstreaming data collections, amplifying the use of big data and taking further advantage of computational methods to analyze qualitative data to gain new insights.

Population Density Maps

Upscaling urban data science for global climate solutions

Manhattan, Berlin and New Delhi all need to take action to adapt to climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While case studies on these cities provide valuable insights, comparability and scalability remain sidelined. We present three routes for expanding knowledge on global urban areas: mainstreaming data collections, amplifying the use of big data and taking further advantage of computational methods to analyze qualitative data to gain new insights.

This paper develops a digital platform restrictiveness index for 64 countries based on ECIPE’s Digital Trade Estimates (DTE) database and the Digital Trade Restrictiveness Index (DTRI). We identify... This paper develops a digital platform restrictiveness index for 64 countries based on ECIPE’s Digital Trade Estimates (DTE) database and the Digital Trade Restrictiveness Index (DTRI). We identify specific restrictions that affect online platforms with a focus on online search, e-commerce and social media. The results show that both OECD and non-OECD countries show high levels of trade restrictions on online platforms.

Future of Business Survey

Patterns of Trade Restrictiveness in Online Platforms: A First Look

This paper develops a digital platform restrictiveness index for 64 countries based on ECIPE’s Digital Trade Estimates (DTE) database and the Digital Trade Restrictiveness Index (DTRI). We identify specific restrictions that affect online platforms with a focus on online search, e-commerce and social media. The results show that both OECD and non-OECD countries show high levels of trade restrictions on online platforms.

Examining new Facebook survey data of 336,000 small- and medium-sized business (SMBs) across 42 countries—the survey is a joint effort by Facebook, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and... Examining new Facebook survey data of 336,000 small- and medium-sized business (SMBs) across 42 countries—the survey is a joint effort by Facebook, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank—we find that the share of businesses on the digital platform that engage in trade ranges from 8 percent (Argentina) to 31 percent (Bangladesh).

Future of Business Survey

Businesses on Facebook and Propensity to Export: Australia

Examining new Facebook survey data of 336,000 small- and medium-sized business (SMBs) across 42 countries—the survey is a joint effort by Facebook, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank—we find that the share of businesses on the digital platform that engage in trade ranges from 8 percent (Argentina) to 31 percent (Bangladesh).

In this paper, we describe the data and methodology that power Facebook Disaster Maps. These maps utilize information about Facebook usage in areas impacted by natural hazards, producing aggregate... In this paper, we describe the data and methodology that power Facebook Disaster Maps. These maps utilize information about Facebook usage in areas impacted by natural hazards, producing aggregate pictures of how the population is affected by and responding to the hazard. The maps include insights into evacuations, cell network connectivity, access to electricity, and long-term displacement.

Disaster Maps

Aggregate Insights for Crisis Response & Recovery

In this paper, we describe the data and methodology that power Facebook Disaster Maps. These maps utilize information about Facebook usage in areas impacted by natural hazards, producing aggregate pictures of how the population is affected by and responding to the hazard. The maps include insights into evacuations, cell network connectivity, access to electricity, and long-term displacement.

On March 24, 2020, the Prime Minister of India announced the world's largest COVID-19 lockdown. In this working paper, researchers summarize the initial impacts of the lockdown for a representative... On March 24, 2020, the Prime Minister of India announced the world's largest COVID-19 lockdown. In this working paper, researchers summarize the initial impacts of the lockdown for a representative sample of mostly poor and non-migrant workers in Delhi. Using Facebook mobility data, they show that intra-city movement dropped 80 percent following the announcement.

Disease Prevention Maps

Job Loss and Behavioral Change: The Unprecedented Effects of the India Lockdown in Delhi

On March 24, 2020, the Prime Minister of India announced the world's largest COVID-19 lockdown. In this working paper, researchers summarize the initial impacts of the lockdown for a representative sample of mostly poor and non-migrant workers in Delhi. Using Facebook mobility data, they show that intra-city movement dropped 80 percent following the announcement.