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ai and the Middle East, assignment complementing chapter “Data” (deadline May 17)

Data governance case study. Analyze a real data management policy or issue related to AI in a Middle Eastern country. Write a blog post with critique and/or recommendations.


OpenEdition schlägt Ihnen vor, diesen Beitrag wie folgt zu zitieren:
Victoria Mummelthei (14. Mai 2024). ai and the Middle East, assignment complementing chapter “Data” (deadline May 17). Keine Disziplin – No Discipline. Abgerufen am 7. März 2026 von https://doi.org/10.58079/13jqp


10 Antworten auf „ai and the Middle East, assignment complementing chapter “Data” (deadline May 17)“

  1. In 2022, Gaziantep University’s Faculty of Law introduced a fingerprint data processing system to monitor student attendance, but it was rejected by Türkiye’s Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK). This incident highlights significant issues regarding the handling of sensitive personal data in educational settings. Fingerprint data, categorized as sensitive under KVKK, requires strict safeguards. The university’s use of this data for a simple administrative task like attendance is seen as excessive. KVKK’s rejection emphasizes that while biometric systems might be justified in high-security areas like passports, their use in routine tasks like attendance is unnecessary.
    The university’s requirement for students to sign consent forms for processing their personal data raises concerns about the voluntariness and genuineness of such consent. In a university setting, students may feel pressured to obey, undermining true informed consent. Protecting individuals from forced consent and ensuring they understand their rights is also crucial. For me, the biggest concern is that processing such sensitive data like fingerprints brings significant privacy risks in the event of mishandling. KVKK’s decision emphasizes the need for powerful security measures to prevent privacy violations which cannot be guaranteed in the conditions of low budget public institutions.
    The Gaziantep University case exemplifies the misuse of sensitive personal data where it is unnecessary. This case highlights that even public institutions like universities are not fully aware of the potential negative outcomes that may arise when such sensitive data falls into the wrong hands. KVKK’s decision supports and strengthens the need for educational institutions to stick to data protection principles, secure sincere consent, and use reasonable measures that protect privacy. This case is stressing the vital role of data protection laws in safeguarding individual rights.

    https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/gaziantep-universitesindeki-parmak-izi-yoklamasina-kvkkden-ret-haber-1679298

  2. AI applications in the Middle East have been clouded by ethical and human rights concerns. Particularly in the context of Saudi data collection policies, they are implemented with limited transparency and inadequate security measures, and have the potential for mass surveillance and control. So, beyond the benefits AI offers, its current use raises serious issues around privacy and data misuse. Regarding the surveillance of women in Iran, a clear example is the targeting of specific groups through AI-assisted monitoring. However, this practice is not unique to the Middle East; For example, it is used to monitor social movements occurring in many parts of the world, which can lead to legal action and serious personal consequences. Therefore, these examples show in a broader perspective the tendency of artificial intelligence to be used as a tool of control and punishment rather than positive social benefits.

  3. Until now I have not heard of any application of AI within Middle Eastern regions that does not harm the population. One of the aspects of this chapter that has struck me the most is the process of imprisonment and registration of people and their respective photo-taking, and how much is not known about this issue. I think this is quite an important unknown if it were to be framed within the Middle East. As far as I have been able to find out, there are still a lot of questions and speculation about these processes, due to the intention of not wanting to provide information about them, for many reasons.

    One of the risks of AI in these cases, apart from this preconceived total mass control, would be to continue to keep and improve such practices, which would significantly harm the development of the population in question. I can think of few benefits, as there are few cases in which AI is actually used within the Middle East to contribute positively to the environment and benefit the population. From my point of view, I believe that before allowing the application of AI in certain regions or for certain practices, there must be regulations in place to preserve both privacy, the circulation of such data and the right to agree or not to install such developments. In addition, it would be advisable to draw up plans that, above all, preserve the security and integrity of the individual in society.

    On the other hand, just as our colleague commented on the case of the women in Iran, who are captured by cameras and then investigated, many companies in the United States are doing something similar right now. Making use of AI with regard to surveillance on certain university campuses, all those students who are in any way actively participating in any kind of demonstration or anything to do with being pro-Palestinian are being profiled and recorded through AI-supported facial recognition, so that in the future legal action can be taken against them and they can be punished in many ways. As has been quoted in the media, “not hiring them by such companies, suing them, kicking them out of their university dorms, and trying to bankrupt them…”

    After all, from all the information I have been able to read concerning the benefits of AI in regions of the Middle East it is very limited. Furthermore, I believe that many of the current practices in which AI is applied have many blind spots, as they often collaterally harm many individuals through no fault of their own. A lot of things need to be improved, I would say, and not so much on the technological side but more on the human-related.

  4. May 20 (May 17 task)
    Sorry for the late submission, I tried to research Qatar but could not really examine anything critically there without additional reading.

    Saudi Arabia launched the Vision 2030 project to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil. As one of the largest oil producers, Saudi Arabia’s economy is heavily dominated by the oil sector, which accounts for 90% of its export earnings. Two-thirds of Saudi workers are employed by the state, and the country benefits from substantial subsidies due to cheap oil and electricity. Within the G20 group, Saudi Arabia has the lowest GDP relative to energy consumption.

    The reliance on oil creates significant challenges. It fails to provide sufficient jobs for the growing population and results in considerable inequality between those employed in the oil sector and those in other sectors. Additionally, the economy is highly susceptible to fluctuations in oil prices. For instance, between 2007 and 2011, oil prices doubled, halved, and doubled again, making rational economic planning nearly impossible. Although the OPEC organization was established to stabilize oil prices, the emergence of significant oil producers like Canada, Brazil, the USA, and Guyana has diminished OPEC’s influence. This has led to countries such as Angola and Qatar leaving the group.

    The Saudi Ministry of Finance had initially projected budget surpluses until 2025 but now anticipates deficits until 2026. This is notable given that Saudi Arabia has experienced six consecutive budget deficits in a row. Vision 2030 aims to address these economic challenges by diversifying into sectors such as sports, gaming, and futuristic urban development. However, these efforts have faced setbacks. The popularity of the football league has waned, with average attendance dropping to just average of 8,000 spectators. Investments in leading computer gaming studios required significant premiums, and the ambitious “Line” city project has been scaled down some 100 times, from an original plan of 105 miles to just 1.5 miles.

    Despite Saudi Arabia’s substantial financial resources, repeated failures in these ventures could lead to public dissatisfaction and potential unrest. Moreover, the lack of a robust AI sector poses another significant risk. AI is expected to play a crucial role in the future economy, including optimizing oil management and revenue maximization. However, US companies currently lead in AI development, and even smaller countries like Qatar seem to leverage AI opportunities more effectively.

    Under the rule of Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), Saudi Arabia has seen significant social reforms, such as granting women the right to drive, work, and travel. Despite these changes, Saudi Arabia remains an authoritarian state with tight control over its population. In this context, AI could enhance the government’s ability to monitor and control its citizens, potentially stifling any opposition or unrest, rather than fundamentally transforming the economy.

    In conclusion, while Vision 2030 represents a bold attempt to reshape Saudi Arabia’s economic landscape, significant challenges remain. The kingdom’s dependence on oil, the volatility of global oil markets, and the hurdles in developing new economic sectors and technologies like AI, pose serious obstacles to achieving a diversified and sustainable economy.

  5. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Turkish government made an application called “Hayat Eve Sığar” (Life fits in the house) mandatory for its citizens. This application worked in parallel with an application called e-Nabız, where every citizen’s health record is stored and can be viewed by doctors or health workers at the user’s request. Hayat Eve Sığar, on the other hand, was developed specifically to record health status and vaccinations. This app also gave each user a unique QR code to show to staff before entering closed environments such as shops, cinemas, cafes, and, in some cases, universities. When staff inserted the QR code into a reader, it would turn either red or green to indicate the person’s health status. In addition, if someone tested positive for Covid-19, the app used GPS to track the user’s movements in order to restrict the movements of a sick person. Although the app is no longer in use following the end of the pandemic, the data is still in the hands of the Turkish government. In addition to the curfews, citizens had no way of deciding whether or not to share all this information. It was impossible to refuse the idea of downloading the app and receiving a special QR code, because without these codes people were banned from public spaces. Of course, the panic that accompanied Covid-19 left little or no room to question these regulations, but such an application, including location tracking, runs the risk of making citizens more vulnerable in the eyes of government officials. For example, STIs and STDs, especially HIV, are now stigmatised diseases, even though for HIV, the health risks have been reduced to an untraceable, non-transmissible level. However, it is still seen as a ‘gay man’s’ disease and is shamed in particularly conservative places in Turkey. While I think these regulations gave people no choice and every human right was basically upheld by the government, I also think there should be more research into vulnerable bodies and people with the diseases that are considered taboo by the public, especially during pandemic times. The question of who was able to see what is still up in the air. How the government has used or will use this data is still a question that is not being asked and of course not being answered.

  6. Probably the most recent use of AI regarding data governance in Iran is the new facial recognition technology which resulted in massive arrests during and after the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. AI facilitated the arresting of more than 20.000 protestors which proceeded with many being hanged. It seems the use of facial recognition technology is not restricted to the era of protests, a look at the everyday life of women in Iran shows that they are being observed on a daily basis. As an example, the cars of many women are being taken away in case they fail to comply with the government’s dress code (hijab) while driving. This all raises a critical question about the current encouragement to advance AI and data governance: to what extent could it be guaranteed that AI and related advances can protect the privacy of people, especially in authoritarian governments in the Middle East?

  7. The author of this paragraph is correct, especially in the context of the Middle East, where the absence of civil control often results in the lack of protection for personal information. However, it is important to acknowledge that, just as in traditional villages where everyone knows everything about each other, we are likely to experience similar issues in the global village. The question now is how to adapt to this coming reality. While it is crucial to fight for privacy and data protection, it is also important to recognize that this battle may be largely futile in many regions of the world. Therefore, we must focus on developing strategies and frameworks that help us adapt to and manage this new reality, ensuring that we can navigate it in ways that minimize harm and maximize the benefits of living in an interconnected, information-rich global society.

  8. The decentralized and rootless nature of the internet facilitates user access to information, but it also poses challenges for the states that sees controlling the information as a duty. In the last decade, beconging steadily more authoritarian, Turkey has implemented a new law in 2022: ‘Combatting Disinformation Law’

    One of the most controversial provisions in this law was Article 217/A:

    ARTICLE 217/A-(1) Anyone who publicly disseminates false information related to the country’s internal and external security, public order, and general health with the sole intent of creating fear, panic, or concern among the public, in a manner that is likely to disturb public peace, shall be punished with imprisonment from one to three years.

    This law has empowered the government to imprison journalists or Twitter users who share news that supposedly creates ‘concern, fear, and panic’ among the public. In a politisphere, where the European Court of Human Rights, international law, and even the Turkish State laws regularly being disregarded, these unlawful practices are putting the free speech issue in Turkey even a worse situation than before.

    One of the most tragic and clear examples of the affect of this law occurred just a few months after the law’s enactment, following the February 6th earthquakes that resulted in the deaths of 60,000 people in Turkey and Syria. Those who reported or shared news about the cities that still did not receive any help from the state had been arrested. Now the citizens speaking the truth and begging for their life could also have been considered as hostility against the state.

    With this Goebbels-like law, Turkish state has the authority to delete news it deems likely to ‘create fear and panic’ from all internet sites, discredit those who share and disseminate such information, and maintain a monopoly on convincing the public of whatever it seems as beneficial. Considering that over 90% of the press in Turkey is pro-government, expecting the state not to extend its control to the only free space for accessing accurate news—the internet—would be naive. While data security can be seem as a separate issue, Turkey faces a more complex problem: “In a place where truth and reality are determined by authority, how can one resist against it ?”

  9. In the “Data” section of the book, Kate Crawford examined the data collection processes in artificial intelligence and the social inferences of these processes. Crawford argued that data is not only obtained in the digital world but also accepted on a large scale from the physical world. If we want to examine the issue of receiving data from the physical world, the new application of smart cities in the United Arab Emirates can be an example. The smart city projects supported in cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi aim to improve city services by using data and AI technologies. Data infrastructure is used here in areas such as energy conservation, health services, and safety. To conduct these projects, advanced technologies and policies for data collection and management are a necessity.

    The implementation of data management policies related to smart cities may create some possible problems in privacy, ethics, and social areas. The most important source of privacy problems can be data breaches. Breaches may lead to the theft or misuse of personal and sensitive information. In addition, the development of AI needs constant data and this can cause citizens to feel under surveillance, and their privacy is violated. Another issue is the ethical issues that Crawford also mentioned in the chapter. AI algorithms can reproduce biases in the data. This can generate discrimination against certain groups. Moreover, if there is not sufficient transparency about how AI decisions are made, the accountability of AI will disappear. On the other hand, the spread of AI and automation may lead to the disappearance of some jobs and increase unemployment rates. This situation may develop imbalances in the economic structure of the area. In turn, the lack of social acceptance and trust towards AI systems can make it difficult for these technologies to be adopted. Finally, living with so much technology participation can form a technology addiction. This addiction can lead to serious problems in the event of any malfunctions or outages in these systems. In summary, artificial intelligence policies in the UAE may face various problems in privacy, ethics, and social areas. To overcome these problems, it is necessary to develop transparent, fair, and sustainable policies.

  10. The e-Devlet, in English e-Government, application in Turkey is an example that includes all of the models of data storage, protection and integration with the state, whose application areas have spread to quite different branches and has become a functioning system today, as well as digitising the state administration to a great extent. E state actually allows citizens of Turkey to receive many transactions digitally without going to government buildings. All information that requires government approval, such as tax printing, obtaining a birth certificate, obtaining a university diploma, etc., has been digitised since 2008. Recently, individuals were even allowed to request a name change through this platform.
    Although this system brings many conveniences such as reducing the waiting time for mail, reducing the use of paper, being practical, accessible, and environmental, it has brought about personal privacy debates such as data storage and how much access the state should have to our data. In order to address concerns about the protection of personal data in the e-government system, the state enacted a law on the protection of personal data in 2016 and introduced measures to restrict access to e-government. E-state became accessible only with the Turkish ID number, passwords chosen by individuals and two-factor authentication via sms. This system is quite similar to the security system used by Instagram. However, the relevant question regarding the protection of personal data remains, should a system that stores more than five thousand documents and transactions such as all personal information, all medical records, insurance information, land registry and property registration, tax payments, family tree information, should be based on the same level data protection system which I used to upload my photos and watch videos?
    Although the state is trying to increase the protection of data with the legal measures it has taken, according to various people, thus media have previously stated that e-government data has been leaked. The fact that the data are kept in such detail in the digital environment makes them accessible in both negative and positive aspects. The state organisation in Turkey is also an example of how personal data, personal rights and laws are intertwined, and how all three are affected by privacy issues.

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