Digital Economy Survey 2022

Survey’s definition

It is a statistical survey aims to measure the activities of economic establishments that largely depend on technology and data in Saudi Arabia. Data for the year 2022 will be collected by surveying a sample of these establishments representing various economic sectors and activities as well as different governorates in Saudi Arabia.

Survey’s objectives

This survey aims to provide a database for conducting studies and developing indicators on the digital economy sector in Saudi Arabia, including:

The extent to which establishments have a digital platform for selling goods and services.
The extent to which establishments use technologies such as web or mobile applications, e-commerce websites or applications, and electronic data interchange systems.
The extent to which establishments receive orders for goods or services online through websites or applications of other institutions, or through electronic data interchange.
The extent to which establishments sell services that were ordered and delivered digitally, and services that were ordered non-digitally but delivered digitally.
The average number of employees in digital economy establishments and total expenditure on salaries and wages by sex and IT-related job functions.
The value of operating and transfer expenses for digital economy entities. The value of revenue generated by digital economy entities.
The net investment in assets for digital economy entities. The value of exports and imports for digital economy entities.
The value of sales of goods and services by digital economy entities through e-commerce, distributed by the location of consumers and customers (inside and outside Saudi Arabia).
The value of sales of goods and services by digital economy establishments using digital intermediaries, distributed by the location of consumers and customers (inside and outside Saudi Arabia).
The extent to which entities use and share data.
Establish a broad database to be used as a reliable basis for conducting studies and research on the digital economy in Saudi Arabia.
Provide researchers, students and interested parties with the necessary statistical data on the digital economy in Saudi Arabia to be used in scientific research and studies that contribute to highlighting and developing economic activity in Saudi Arabia.
Provide data to decision-makers and policymakers on the digital economy in Saudi Arabia. Conduct local, regional, and international comparisons to assess the contribution of the digital economy to the national economy.

Main concept

Digital economy:

Digital economy includes all economic activities that depend on the use of digital inputs or that are significantly enhanced through the use of digital inputs, including digital technologies, digital infrastructure, digital services, and data.

Digital Fixed Assets:

Digital fixed assets refer to digital resources that have long-term value and are used to support an establishment's business operations, such as databases, software, applications, and more.

Databases:

Digital assets that store and organize large amounts of data, such as customer information, sales data, along with other important business data.

Digital content:

This includes digital assets such as e-books, videos, and other digital content that are created to educate and inform customers about products or services of the establishments.

FAQs

What is the main objective of the survey?

Calculating the contribution of the digital economy to GDP

How long does it take to complete the questionnaire?

20-25 minutes

Who is the (proposed) employee to fill out the questionnaire?

Employee in charge of financial reports, financial statements, and payroll, along with the employee in charge of databases in the establishment.

Privacy Notice

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) is a government entity with an independent legal personality. It is the only official statistical reference for implementing, supervising, and regulating the statistical work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It provides statistical products in social, economic, and environmental fields to support policymakers and decision-makers in advancing the implementation of development plans.

You can contact us by clicking on contact us link in our website, or send an email to: info@stats.gov.sa

Date of last update:

The last update on the privacy notice was made on (update date).

What is personal data?

Any data, regardless of its source or form, that may lead to identifying an individual specifically, or that may directly or indirectly make it possible to identify an individual, including name, personal identification number, addresses, contact numbers, bank and credit card numbers, photos, and videos of an individual, and any other data of personal nature.

What personal data is collected?

Various types of personal data and information is collected, which cover all aspects of life in the Kingdom: (demographic, social, economic, environmental, and cultural), including but not limited to:

Full name, age/date of birth, sex, address, contact information (e.g.: email address and phone numbers), ID number, marital status, current job information, previous job information, information about dependents/spouse/household.

How is personal data collected and what is the purpose?

Personal data is collected and obtained "directly or indirectly", using various methods, which include:

- Direct methods of obtaining personal data:

- Field visit to the household or establishment by GASTAT’s staff or one of its representatives.

- Phone call by GASTAT’s staff through the unified phone number:920020081.

- Self-completion on GASTAT’s website.

Indirect methods of obtaining personal data:

Collect cookies and data on how you use our site, including your visit date and time, and the type of browser you use.

By collecting data, GASTAT aims to produce official statistics that serve the public interest, i.e., any personal data collected, whether it belongs to the individual, or on behalf of another individual, will be used for statistical purposes and the production of official statistics.

How do we use your personal data?

We use personal data collected directly or indirectly to produce official statistics that serve the public interest, and support policymakers and decision makers in advancing the implementation of development plans. GASTAT is the only official statistical reference for implementing, supervising, and regulating the statistical work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

How do we share your personal data?

Your personal information won't be given to any third party for the purpose of direct marketing. We are also dedicated to protecting the confidentiality of all Saudi Arabia’s resident data, and not disclosing it. GASTAT abides by the participation guidelines that the regulators have approved. We also pledge to enforce the laws governing data confidentiality, non-disclosure, and personal data protection vigorously and strictly.

The legal basis for collecting and processing personal data:

According to the policy of personal data protection issued by the National Data Management Office, the legal basis for collecting and processing personal data is:

- our explicit consent, and you can withdraw your consent at any time except for some exceptions explained above, and to do so you can contact the Data Governance Department.

- Legal Obligation: The regulations and bylaws in force - including Royal and High Orders - are a legal basis on which GASTAT can rely if the collection and processing of personal data is necessary to comply with these statutory requirements.

- Public Interest: Statistics collected from personal data aim to support policymakers, and decision makers to advance the implementation of Saudi Arabia's development plans.

How do we store your personal data?

Your personal data is stored securely in the technical assets of GASTAT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Your personal data is kept for a specified period, after which we dispose of this data securely so that it cannot be accessed or restored again, based on GASTAT’s data preservation and destruction policy.

Rights of personal data owner:

Under the personal data policy, you have the following rights, which depend primarily on the purpose of collecting and processing personal data:

- Right to access personal data: you have the right to request a copy of your personal data, such data will be provided to you within seven working days via email DPO@stats.gov.sa.

- Right to dispose personal data: you have the right to request the disposal of your personal data in certain circumstances that do not contradict with the legal basis based on which data was collected.

- Right to restrict data processing: you can restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances and for specific period of time.

- Right to object to processing: you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data that is not inconsistent with the legal basis.

- Right to transfer your personal data: you have the right to ask us to transfer your personal data - collected directly from you - to another party, or to deliver it to you for a fee. This right cannot be exercised if your consent is the legal basis for processing.

Except as otherwise specified, you are not required to pay any fees for exercising these rights, and in the event that a request is made to exercise one of these rights, you will be responded to within (7 days) from the request date.

Furthermore, it should be stressed here that some of these rights (the right to data disposal, the right to data transfer, and the right to object to processing) are not absolute rights but rather depend on the primary purpose and the legal basis mentioned earlier. Other than that, they are regarded as absolute rights.

For more details about the processing of your personal data and how to exercise your rights, you can contact the Data Protection Officer at GASTAT using the contact information provided below:

Email: DPO@stats.gov.sa

Except as stipulated, you are not required to pay any fee for the exercise of these rights, and if an application is made to exercise one of these rights you will be answered within (7 days) of the date of application.

It must also be emphasized here that some of these rights (the right to destroy data, the right to transmit data, the right to object to processing) are not absolute rights, but rather depend on the main purpose and statutory basis referred to earlier, and otherwise are absolute rights.

For more details about the processing of your personal data and how to exercise your rights, you can contact the Authority's Personal Data Protection Officer according to the contact data below:

Email: DPO@stats.gov.sa

How to submit a complaint?

If you have any complaints or issues regarding our adherence to the National Data Management Office's policy regarding the protection of personal data, you can contact the Data Governance Department via email at info@stats.gov.sa.

You can email the GASTAT’s Data Governance Department at DPO@stats.gov.sa to file a complaint if you are dissatisfied with how we handled your complaint or if we did not reply to you within three working days.

If GASTAT’s Data Governance Department does not resolve your complaint within 7 days, you may also file a complaint with the National Data Management Office about how we use your personal data.

Address of National Data Management Office:

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.

Website: Complaints (sdaia.gov.sa)

date of data collection

Start of data collection: 09/07/2023

End of data collection: 15/08/2023

data of collection

CAWI – CATI- CAPI

CATI: Computer-assisted telephone interviewing.

CAWI: Computer-assisted web interviewing.

(CAPI): Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews.

Survey’s link

https://fesurvey.stats.gov.sa/economic-survey/auth

Digital Economy Survey 2022

The extent to which establishments have a digital platform for selling goods and services.

The extent to which establishments use technologies such as web or mobile applications, e-commerce websites or applications, and electronic data interchange systems.

The extent to which establishments receive orders for goods or services online through websites or applications of other institutions, or through electronic data interchange.

The extent to which establishments sell services that were ordered and delivered digitally, and services that were ordered non-digitally but delivered digitally.

The average number of employees in digital economy establishments and total expenditure on salaries and wages by sex and IT-related job functions.

The value of operating and transfer expenses for digital economy entities. The value of revenue generated by digital economy entities.

The net investment in assets for digital economy entities. The value of exports and imports for digital economy entities.

The value of sales of goods and services by digital economy entities through e-commerce, distributed by the location of consumers and customers (inside and outside Saudi Arabia).

The value of sales of goods and services by digital economy establishments using digital intermediaries, distributed by the location of consumers and customers (inside and outside Saudi Arabia).

The extent to which entities use and share data.

Establish a broad database to be used as a reliable basis for conducting studies and research on the digital economy in Saudi Arabia.

Provide researchers, students and interested parties with the necessary statistical data on the digital economy in Saudi Arabia to be used in scientific research and studies that contribute to highlighting and developing economic activity in Saudi Arabia.

Provide data to decision-makers and policymakers on the digital economy in Saudi Arabia. Conduct local, regional, and international comparisons to assess the contribution of the digital economy to the national economy.