From commitment to implementation : Strengthening privacy and data protection through open government adoption in Lebanon
Abstract
Open government (OG) initiatives can strengthen transparency, participation and accountability, but they can also expand privacy and cyber risk where personal data governance is weak. This paper examines the tension between OG adoption and privacy protection in Lebanon, focusing on whether Lebanon’s current legal, institutional and technical arrangements can support ‘open by default’ practices without exposing citizens and public officials to misuse, breach or unlawful surveillance.1 The paper maps Lebanon’s data protection gaps against international and regional comparators and identifies practical vulnerabilities relevant to OG implementation, including fragmented privacy rules, limited enforcement capacity, inconsistent cyber security maturity, low levels of public sector training and weak citizen awareness.2 It then proposes a prioritised roadmap for integrating privacy safeguards into Lebanon’s OG trajectory through: (i) comprehensive, modern data protection legislation; (ii) independent oversight and complaint-handling capacity; and (iii) operational controls including privacy-by-design, data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk data releases, tiered access models, anonymisation standards and breach preparedness.3 The central argument is that OG credibility depends on making privacy safeguards measurable, enforceable and operational, ensuring that transparency gains do not come at the expense of individual rights. This article is also included in The Business and Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Dr Jessica Abou Mrad is an Assistant Professor of Economics with a PhD from the Lebanese University. She brings extensive experience in teaching and academic coordination across several higher education institutions. Her work focuses on curriculum development, student advising and interdisciplinary collaboration. Jessica’s research interests include sustainable development, economic policy and education governance, with a strong record of peer-reviewed publications. Committed to academic excellence, she actively supervises graduate research and is dedicated to fostering critical thinking and intellectual engagement in her students.
Ali Awdeh is a full Professor of Finance at the Lebanese University with 20 years’ academic experience. He holds a PhD in finance from Bayes Business School in London, UK. Ali is a researcher in banking, monetary policy, financial development, sustainable finance, and financing for development, with particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and policy papers on topics including financial inclusion, bank stability and income inequality. Ali is a frequent speaker at regional conferences and a contributor to dialogues on sustainable finance and financing for development. He also serves as economic consultant for several regional and international organisations.
Dr Madonna Nassar is a legal and public administration expert with a PhD in public law from the Lebanese University, awarded with high distinction in 2024. Since 2018, she has served as a Controller at the General Directorate of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in Lebanon, overseeing the auditing of governmental files and drafting decisions that shape national policy. Madonna has led governance and anti-corruption workshops in Lebanon and abroad, notably with Youth Against Corruption (YAC) and the Independent Wasit Families Association. Her earlier training includes ranking in the top 30 at Lebanon’s École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) and legal internships with prominent law firms and the Lebanese Parliament.
Nour Mohamad Fayad, PhD in economics from Beirut Arab University, is a lecturer at Lebanese International University (LIU), Al Maaref University in Lebanon. She serves as a course coordinator and leader of the economics research team at LIU. Her teaching portfolio includes Essential to Economics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, Business Math and Business Statistics. Nour’s research focuses on sustainable development, economic growth and institutional and financial reform. She has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications, including studies on renewable energy, education governance and generative AI in economic decision making. In her PhD thesis, Nour introduced a new Customized Corruption Index (CCI) specifically tailored for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) economies, offering a more context-sensitive approach to corruption measurement. She combines academic expertise with practical experience in financial management and policy-oriented research.
