The ‘PROTECT’ Essential Elements in Managing Crisis Data Policies

Abstract

Based on a literature review, policy study, and a conference session discussion, this paper systematically analyzed seven predominant elements in crisis data policies, namely ‘people, resources, operation, technology, ethics, communication, and trust,’ abbreviated as the ‘PROTECT’ essentials. As a guiding checklist for crisis data policy, implementing the ‘PROTECT’ essentials should follow the guiding principles, in which people should be united to understand each other better and get prepared for intelligible data resources; the operation of crisis data work should be uniquely tailored to scenarios, with promising IT adoption guided by utilitarian ethics; crisis communication should be prompt and unambiguous; trust between people and machines should be sustainable. These can be summarized as the ‘UPs’ principles. All these efforts together contribute to a sustainable crisis data ecosystem. Selected case studies on the COVID-19 pandemic, and the February 6, 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake, validate how the ‘PROTECT’ essential framework helps guide crisis data work. We hope the ‘PROTECT’ essentials and the implementation guidelines could provide insights into future crisis data policies. © 2024 The Author(s).