Questions/Answers

Moscow has been developing its digital ecosystem for citizens and business over the last 10 years, resulting in the prompt and effective response to the pandemic that the metropolis with the population of 12 million faced in the spring of 2020. During the lockdown, the Moscow Mayor official website mos.ru served as the public source of cooperation between the citizens, businesses and governmental institutions. Thanks to the site, users were able to access all services they needed at home, thus eliminating the need to go outside to receive public services and putting health at risk. The mos.ru website and the City Contact Centre were the pillar of developing the digital pass system for getting around the city by car or by public transport; it helped reduce social contacts, decrease the burden on the healthcare services. Several informational services at the city and federal level were integrated in the shortest time possible, enabling the stable functioning of the system. The Social Monitoring mobile app was developed for Muscovites diagnosed with COVID-19 who chose to get treatment at home. Under such decision-making, Moscow remained the centre of Russia’s business life: it still welcomed residents of other Russian regions and resumed its busy life in the key industries in the span of just a few weeks. Education system has also faced the challenges brought about by the pandemic; it became clear that digital education is now more important than it has ever been. A number of important updates in the Moscow Electronic School project enabled an uninterrupted educational process. Moscow pupils attend school classes online, accessing user-friendly time-table, electronic textbooks and tests, electronic diary and grade record book with ease. Over the past month, teachers gave over 2.6 million online lessons using Moscow Electronic School, and pupils got more than 17 million grades.

Over the past ten years, a full-fledged digital ecosystem has been created in Moscow for city residents and businesses. Its main link is the Moscow Mayor's official portal mos.ru and related resources with the MosID unified authorization system. The number of mos.ru visitors in the spring of 2020 reached over 30 million (at the beginning of 2020, the number of visitors was 14 million). In addition, the city has a City Video Surveillance System, a City Contact Center and the Moscow Electronic School platform. Having a well-functioning and reliable infrastructure helped to quickly respond to the threats and protect Moscow residents.

Goals 9 and 11. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Moscow introduced a number of technological solutions in order to contain COVID-19 and to ensure the compliance with the lockdown regime. Quick response was made possible on account of the digital ecosystem developed which comprises over 370 services for residents and business of the city provided online, City Contact Centre with an online agent (artificial intelligence technology), city video surveillance system and a high-quality mobile network enabling all Moscow residents to make use of digital services. This autumn, Moscow introduced the system of QR-code check-ins in entertainment venues, which was a great boon to the entire industry since it continued operating. Under this system, citizens receive a message notifying them about the possible contact with a person infected with COVID-19. The system is now implemented in all state institution buildings. In fact, all organisations providing services for the public are also advised to introduce the check-in system.

In the spring of 2020, digital technology helped prevent the number of COVID cases from skyrocketing; it saved lives and reduced the burden on the healthcare system which provided favourable conditions for the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions for all citizens. Since the region of Moscow is the centre of Russia’s economic life, it had a positive impact on the social and economic situation throughout the country. In the autumn of 2020, digital solutions, including the check-in system, made it possible to avoid the strict quarantine restrictions and allow businesses to continue working, while ensuring the safety of the residents.

All projects had to be implemented in the shortest time possible amid the pandemic. Such conditions compelled all government bodies responsible and partner enterprises to mobilise. Due to close cooperation between different government institutions, new and already existing digital tools were used effectively. Additional services were introduced for legal entities. By using the service on the portal of the Moscow innovation cluster i.moscow, those responsible could check whether the company was subject to temporary restrictions on office visits, and issue passes for their employees. The mos.ru website launched a service enabling employers to manage their employees’ passes: they could access the full list of passes issued, cancel passes for employees working from home and issue new passes if necessary. At the same time, during the pandemic, teachers and students were able to continue the educational process using the Moscow Electronic School project platform online, with parents being able to control this process.

According to statistics, 2/3 of the users of the digital ecosystem in Moscow are women. During a pandemic, when it was especially important to stay at home and protect their health and the health of loved ones, the availability of government services and services in electronic form allowed them to solve almost all issues related to home, family, education of children, as well as their work or business.

The project affected all residents of the Moscow agglomeration uniting 17 million people, including citizens who came to Moscow from other regions. The automatic control system was aimed at ensuring the safety of each and every one of the citizens. A lot of patients were diagnosed with a mild case of COVID-19, meaning they could stay home, getting treatment. The Social monitoring app ensured those patients, as well as people sharing their living space, stay at home and comply with the self-isolation requirements. Thanks to digital monitoring, Muscovites can be sure that those who are ill keep up with all necessary measures and do not subject others to the disease. The service-developing process also involved representatives of the professional community and residents of the city. The developers factored in the citizen opinion and added new service features to issue proper passes for getting around the city quickly. The Social Monitoring app could be downloaded from both App Store and Google Play, where users can also leave their feedback. There were also special services developed for employers to be able to check whether the company was subject to temporary restrictions on visits, to issue and manage passes for employees.

In March 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Moscow. Due to the further spread of COVID-19, the Government deemed it necessary to introduce a digital pass system to get around the city by private or public transport from 15 April to 9 June. It was quickly developed and commissioned based on the Moscow infrastructure. Moscow residents could get a pass to get to work, to visit a medical establishment or for private purposes; passes were issued to public and municipal servants, journalists, lawyers, judges, military personnel and some other categories of citizens specified in the decree of the Mayor of Moscow and to volunteers, using the Moscow Mayor official website mos.ru, SMS and the hotline of the Government of Moscow. An effective system for monitoring compliance with the pass system using video surveillance cameras was deployed quickly and automatically. Selective control using digital passes became an effective tool for detecting those breaching the self-isolation. In early April, Moscow launched a Social Monitoring app for patients with mild COVID-19 diagnosis. It tracks the user's location and reacts should it differ significantly from the address where the person should be quarantined; this address is listed by citizens in medical documents. During the period of restrictive measures introduced this spring, city schools were forced to switch to remote education. The Government decided to develop an internal video conferencing system on the platform of the Moscow Electronic School project. The system was implemented gradually. It was fully launched in October serving to give lessons online in conjunction with the approved schedule and with the school electronic diary. To attend a class, a student just has to click on the Connect to Diary button in the electronic diary. This feature is available in both the mobile and desktop versions of the electronic diary.

The citizens showed understanding when it came to the measures introduced since it was highly important for the society. However, there was some tension regarding the Social Monitoring application at the beginning due to it being new and unusual. To overcome the problem, the public was informed of the positive results of the service implementation and new functions. The Moscow Government used special delivery services to provide smart phones for the quarantine period to those who did not have the means required to download and install the app at their disposal. In total, over 25 thousand devices have been issued to citizens since the launch of the service. There were several ways to get a digital pass, which made the process as simple and fast as possible.

Innovations are centred on using face recognition and geolocation technology (based on the existing city video surveillance system). The internal video conferencing system introduced in the Moscow Electronic School project made it possible to give lessons online using only one service without resorting to third-party tools; it can also be considered an innovation. It is important to note that all Russian teachers have access to the electronic materials of the MES Library for all subjects of study, including the content for self-assessment and exam preparation. The digital pass system is also an innovative project for Moscow; it required quick and effective integration of several information systems of various departments, including the ones at the federal level.

It should be pointed out that digital solutions being constantly developed before the pandemic were key in ensuring that projects were implemented rapidly and functioned smoothly. The best international experience was taken into account when designing Digital Pass system and Social Monitoring. Experts analysed more than ten solutions implemented in other cities which faced the pandemic. However, Moscow has opted for reducing the amount of citizens’ personal data necessary to contain the coronavirus after taking the public reaction to such projects. The app was based on the practices of Singapore and South Korea in that regard, resulting in the best-balanced technical solution.

A number of innovations were required for implementing the digital pass system, primarily those related to the concept of Mobility-As-A-Service (MaaS). Several services, databases and physical devices were linked together across the entire urban infrastructure: new mobile app features, integration with travel card balance databases, remote encoding of travel cards, data reading feature at turnstiles and tools for informing passengers and monitoring compliance with the digital pass system. Social monitoring app developed for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and people living with them, tracks the smartphone location using geolocation technology. The city video surveillance system helps monitor the situation in the city, with the one-of-a-kind feature being the multi-vendor face recognition module.

Moscow digital infrastructure has been used for many years to improve the quality of life and safety of citizens; it adapts quickly to new challenges. As one of the world leaders in digital transformation, Moscow is willing to share its experience with other regions of Russia and countries of the world, to act as a partner in their implementation, as well as to provide methodological assistance in implementing projects in the areas of digitalisation of urban economy, social sphere, interaction of the city with residents and improving the level of safety. It is worth mentioning that teachers can access the materials and lessons of Moscow Electronic School Library from any place in the world (the materials are published in Russian).

The Social Monitoring project is a solution that can be used both to combat the coronavirus pandemic and to help should similar threats to the life and health of citizens arise. The Social Monitoring mobile app features tools to adapt the service to a specific country/region, to specific external conditions and legislative systems. The service can be used in another country if properly adjusted in terms of setting up interaction models with citizens, mobile app operation modes, motivational models for increasing conversion and response measures for violations detected. The system of digital passes has also been effective in reducing passenger traffic in Moscow. This experience can also be factored in when implementing a similar project in other regions.

The project was implemented by a team of The Department of Information Technology of the city of Moscow and commercial partner organisations of the Government of Moscow. At the same time, digital solutions already implemented are under constant development; they paved the way for organising quick and effective work.

The developed digital infrastructure of Moscow made it possible to quickly ensure the stable functioning of all areas of the city’s economy and contain the coronavirus infection. This experience became a bellwether of future prompt response to a crisis situation among urban systems. The project was implemented by The Department of Information Technology of the city of Moscow and commercial partner organisations of the Government of Moscow.

Yes

In the summer of 2020, the Social Monitoring app won at the Best Social Projects in Russia 2019–2020 all-Russian award in Emergency Assistance Programmes. In addition, we are witnessing the interest of Russian and foreign cities in the projects implemented in Moscow during the coronavirus pandemic. Top Russian information security experts confirmed that the project is reliable; Apple and Google experts in the app stores also gave the thumbs-up to the stability and security of the Social Monitoring mobile app.

The Social Monitoring uses geolocation and image, minimum user data processed by video analytics algorithms. It is required to make sure that the user has not left the location they specified in the consent document when opting for home treatment. Violations were automatically detected and prosecuted, a feature mostly absent from the-like systems. A digital pass consists of a 16-digit alphanumeric code, also available as a QR-code for convenience. The cameras for photo/video recording of traffic violations, subway turnstiles and validators in transport verified digital passes automatically. Citizens were also able to use My Moscow app to obtain a pass.

Moscow, together with Seoul and Shanghai, is among the top three cities in the world in terms of the effectiveness of measures taken during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study conducted by Higher School of Economics (Russia). 15 major cities in the world were analysed in order to obtain the findings, with the high level of digitalisation of urban infrastructure serving as one of the evaluation criteria. Moscow has managed to ensure the stable functioning of the city economy, to contain the coronavirus, reducing the burden on the healthcare system, and gradually ease restrictive measures for all residents, all of this made possible due to the coordinated work of existing digital services and solutions implemented during the pandemic. In September, Dr Hans Kluge, Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office for Europe, gave recognition to the effectiveness of measures introduced in Moscow to contain the coronavirus.

Existing state information systems of Moscow acted as a pillar of developing solutions aimed at containing the coronavirus infection, ensuring compliance with the self-isolation requirement during the period of high alert. Information provided by citizens when using the services such as registration of digital passes was verified in several departments. Several information systems of departments responsible were therefore quickly integrated. Only officials and representatives of law enforcement agencies that control movement around the city were authorised to check passes.

The services are developed by the Department of Information Technology of the city of Moscow. At the same time, the situation called for mobilising all Moscow city economy complexes and making sure they acted coordinately. For example, interaction with the Healthcare Department of the city of Moscow made it impossible to issue passes to citizens diagnosed with COVID-19 in order to contain the disease. In addition, measures were taken in cooperation with the Government of Russia and subordinate structures and the Government of the Moscow region. The data provided by citizens was verified by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Tax Service and the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation and other entities. As partners of the Department of Information Technology of the city of Moscow, several large distributors provided free delivery of smartphones for those who do not have the means required to download and install the app at their disposal. Law enforcement authority representatives provided with special equipment helped monitor the compliance with the lockdown restrictions, along with such digital resources as Moscow Assistant app and a special web portal.

The pandemic stressed the need to provide equal access to electronic public services. Due to the developed infrastructure of Moscow, coronavirus crisis gave an impulse for the development and creation of new solutions to increase the level of comfort and safety of city residents. The services used in the construction and engineering industry were quickly adapted electronically, which allowed developers to continue their work. The list of electronic services available for citizens has also expanded. Thanks to the check-in system, Moscow residents can enter the buildings of organisations/institutions quickly using their account on the Official Portal of the Mayor of Moscow and phone number. We should also mention proactive services and their delivery as part of a number of super services for citizens. The Moscow Electronic School boasts regular updates, thus allowing for high-quality distance learning and securing access to all necessary educational resources at any time from any device using the Diary of MES mobile application. High-quality mobile network in Moscow was instrumental in implementing all digital solutions, acting as one of the key components of the digital infrastructure. However, growing needs and new technological solutions compel the further development of networks.