{"type":"script","doc_desc":{"producers":[{"name":"Reproducibility WBG","abbr":"DECDI","affiliation":"World Bank - Development Impact Department","role":"Verification and preparation of metadata"}],"prod_date":"2026-05-26","version":"1"},"project_desc":{"authoring_entity":[{"name":"Sandra Rozo","affiliation":"World Bank","email":"sandrarozo@worldbank.org"},{"name":"Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 Urbina","affiliation":"World Bank","email":"murbinaflorez@worldbank.org"},{"name":"Andres Moya","affiliation":"Universidad de Los Andes","email":"a.moya@uniandes.edu.co"}],"title_statement":{"title":"Reproducibility package for When Digital Nudges Nag: Evidence On Program Take-Up From A Whatsapp Intervention","idno":"RR_COL_2026_624"},"data_statement":"Some data is restricted and has not been included in the reproducibility package. For more details, refer to the README file.","software":[{"name":"Stata","version":"19.5"}],"scripts":[{"title":"Reproducibility package for When Digital Nudges Nag: Evidence On Program Take-Up From A Whatsapp Intervention","date":"2026-05","notes":"Computational reproducibility verified by Development Impact (DECDI) Analytics team, World Bank.","instructions":"See README in reproducibility package.","file_name":"RR_COL_2026_624","zip_package":"RR_COL_2026_624.zip","dependencies":"Stata dependencies are listed in the ado folder."}],"repository_uri":[{"name":"Reproducible Research Repository (World Bank)","uri":"https:\/\/reproducibility.worldbank.org"}],"production_date":"2026-05-26","abstract":"We study a randomized controlled trial in which undocumented Venezuelan migrants in Colombia were assigned to receive informational videos via WhatsApp encouraging registration in a regularization program. The intervention backfired. Receiving a video reduced take-up by 8 percentage points, a 15 percent decline relative to a control mean of 54 percent, with similar effects across video types. We document two channels through which this effect operates. Among the 72 percent of treated individuals\nwho watched the video, informational exposure reduced take-up by 9.5 percentage points, consistent with an increase in perceived complexity. Among individuals who received but did not engage with the message, assignment also reduced take-up, consistent with friction from unsolicited contact. Stratifying individuals by their predicted likelihood of registration, we find that negative effects are concentrated among those at the margin of the take-up decision, while those with low or high baseline propensities are largely unaffected. These findings suggest that the line between a helpful nudge and a counterproductive nag is thin and that providing more digital information can reduce program participation when it raises perceived costs or triggers disengagement among vulnerable populations.","geographic_units":[{"name":"Colombia","code":"COL"}],"keywords":[{"name":"Migrants"},{"name":"Regularization"},{"name":"Program Take-Up"}],"topics":[{"id":"D72","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","vocabulary":"Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)","name":"Political Processes: Rent-Seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior","parent_id":"D7"},{"id":" F02","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","vocabulary":"Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)","name":"International Economic Order and Integration","parent_id":"F0"},{"id":" F22","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","vocabulary":"Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)","name":"International Migration","parent_id":"F2"},{"id":" O15","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","vocabulary":"Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)","name":"Human Resources \u2022 Human Development \u2022 Income Distribution \u2022 Migration","parent_id":"O1"},{"id":" R23","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","vocabulary":"Journal of Economic Literature (JEL)","name":"Regional Migration \u2022 Regional Labor Markets \u2022 Population \u2022 Neighborhood Characteristics","parent_id":"R2"}],"output":[{"type":"Working Paper","description":"Policy Research Working Papers (PRWP)","title":"When Digital Nudges Nag: Evidence On Program Take-Up From A Whatsapp Intervention"}],"language":[{"name":"English","code":"EN"}],"technology_requirements":"Run time ~ 5 minutes","disclaimer":"The materials in the reproducibility packages are distributed as they were prepared by the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development\/The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this event do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, the Executive Directors of the World Bank, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the materials included in the reproducibility package.","license":[{"name":"MIT License","uri":"https:\/\/opensource.org\/license\/mit"},{"name":"World Bank IGO Rider","uri":"https:\/\/github.com\/worldbank\/metadata-editor\/blob\/main\/WB-IGO-RIDER.md"}],"contacts":[{"name":"Sandra Rozo","affiliation":"World Bank","email":"sandrarozo@worldbank.org"},{"name":"Reproducibility WBG","affiliation":"World Bank","email":"reproducibility@worldbank.org"}],"datasets":[{"name":"Gran Encuesta Integrada de Hogares (GEIH)","note":"Data accessed in March 2023. Microdata from the Gran Encuesta Integrada de Hogares (GEIH) 2021, collected continuously monthly by DANE (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estad\u00edstica). For each month, files are organized into three geographic strata (Area, Cabecera, and Resto) and must be downloaded separately. \n File location: Data\/RawData\/DataComparison\/GEIH\/area_diciembre.dta, Data\/RawData\/DataComparison\/GEIH\/cabecera_diciembre.dta, Data\/RawData\/DataComparison\/GEIH\/resto_diciembre.dta (and equivalent monthly files).","access_type":"Data are publicly available but not redistributable, and it is not included in the reproducibility package.","license":"Custom License","uri":"https:\/\/microdatos.dane.gov.co\/index.php\/catalog\/701","citation":"Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estad\u00edstica de Colombia (DANE). 2021. \"Gran Encuesta Integrada de Hogares\" [dataset]. https:\/\/microdatos.dane.gov.co\/index.php\/catalog\/701. Accessed March 2023.","license_uri":"https:\/\/microdatos.dane.gov.co\/index.php\/catalog\/701#metadata-data_access"},{"name":"VenReps Survey - Wave 1","note":"Data accessed in March 2023. Proprietary microdata from the VenReps Survey, Wave 1, collected as part of the VenReps project, which studies Venezuelan migrants and host communities. The data contain individual- and household-level information, including demographic characteristics, migration history, labor market outcomes, and socioeconomic conditions. Access to the raw VenReps microdata is restricted due to confidentiality agreements and data protection considerations. Researchers interested in accessing the VenReps data should contact the VenReps Project Team directly at https:\/\/www.venreps.com\/. The cleaning and harmonization code is included in the do-file for transparency and can be run if users obtain the data from VenReps. \nFile location: Data\/RawData\/VenReps.dta.","access_type":"Data access was granted directly to the study authors by the data owners\/managers. It was obtained with a custom data license that does not allow for redistribution and it is not included in the reproducibility package.","license":"Custom License","citation":"VenReps Project Team. 2021. \"VenReps Survey - Wave 1\" [dataset]. https:\/\/www.venreps.com\/. Accessed March 2023.","uri":"https:\/\/www.venreps.com\/"},{"name":"Registro Unico de Migrantes Venezolanos (RUMV) ","note":"Data accessed in March 2022. Administrative data from the Registro Unico de Migrantes Venezolanos (RUMV) (Registry of Venezuelan Migrants), provided by Migracion Colombia. The dataset contains municipality-level aggregates on registered Venezuelan migrants. Municipal-level identifiers (e.g., municipality codes) are used to merge these data with other sources. Data is available upon request from Migracion Colombia, and interested users can contact data providers at  autoridades.administrativas@migracioncolombia.gov.co. File location: Data\/RawData\/RUMV.dta.","access_type":"Data access was granted directly to the study authors by the data owners\/managers. It was obtained with a custom data license that does not allow for redistribution and it is not included in the reproducibility package.","license":"Custom License","citation":"Migracion Colombia. 2022. \"Registro Unico de Migrantes Venezolanos (RUMV) - Municipal Aggregates\" [dataset]. Unpublished data. Accessed March 2022."},{"name":"Survey of Venezuelan Workers and Population - ETPV ","note":"Data accessed in March 2022. Primary survey data collected in December 2021 as part of this research project, implemented by Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). The Encuesta a Trabajadores y Poblacion Venezolana (ETPV) is the study's own primary data collection. The dataset contains individual- and household-level information, including socioeconomic characteristics, program exposure, and outcomes of interest. The raw data (data_IPA.dta) are cleaned and processed using the do-file c_base.do to produce the analytical dataset DataETPV.dta. The data are governed by data protection protocols and informed consent agreements. File location: Data\/RawData\/data_IPA.dta.","access_type":"Data is forthcoming in the World Bank Microdata Library","license":"Custom License","citation":"World Bank. 2021. \"Survey of Venezuelan Workers and Population - ETPV , December 2021\" [dataset]. Accessed March 2022."}],"reproduction_instructions":"To reproduce the exhibit in this paper, a new user should do the following;\nOpen the script `main` do file, change the directory on line 17, and run it. This will install the required packages, generate datasets \"DataETPV\" and \"DataComparison\" and generate all the exhibits.\nSince some data is restricted, the outputs generated by the replicators are included in the reproducibility package, so that interested users can compare them against the manuscript.","technology_environment":"Paper exhibits were reproduced on a computer with the following specifications:\n\u2022 OS: Windows 11 Enterprise\n\u2022 Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 5218 CPU @ 2.30GHz (2.30 GHz) (2 processors)\n\u2022 Memory available: 16 GB\n\u2022 Software version: Stata 19.5 "},"datacite":{"creators":[{"givenName":"Sandra","familyName":"Rozo","nameType":"Personal","affiliation":[{"name":"World Bank","affiliationIdentifier":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00ae7jd04","affiliationIdentifierScheme":"ROR","schemeUri":"https:\/\/ror.org"}]},{"givenName":"Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9","familyName":"Urbina","nameType":"Personal","affiliation":[{"name":"World Bank","affiliationIdentifier":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00ae7jd04","affiliationIdentifierScheme":"ROR","schemeUri":"https:\/\/ror.org"}]},{"givenName":"Andres","familyName":"Moya","nameType":"Personal","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidad de Los Andes","affiliationIdentifier":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04pqpvr75","affiliationIdentifierScheme":"ROR","schemeUri":"https:\/\/ror.org"}]}],"titles":[{"lang":"en","title":"Reproducibility package for When Digital Nudges Nag: Evidence On Program Take-Up From A Whatsapp Intervention"},{"title":"RR_COL_2026_624","titleType":"Other"}],"publisher":"World Bank","publicationYear":"2026","types":{"resourceType":"Reproducibility package","resourceTypeGeneral":"Other"},"url":"https:\/\/reproducibility.worldbank.org\/index.php\/catalog\/study\/RR_COL_2026_624","language":"en"},"tags":[{"tag":"DOI"},{"tag":"Forthcoming Data"},{"tag":"Open Code"},{"tag":"Restricted Data"}],"schematype":"script"}