Gu Hongfei
School of International Relations, Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710128 China.
J Chin Polit Sci. 2023 May 3:1-22. doi: 10.1007/s11366-023-09855-1.
Despite the massive amount of data and sophisticated computing capacity, Big Tech has evolved into the new data sovereigns that governments must accept in the data era. Data mining and application determine the true value of data; in this regard, Big Tech is tough to replace. The so-called "Fourth Industrial Revolution" is reshaping the emerging global order, and at its core are Big Tech firms. They not only express their concerns and spread their values and ideologies but also make their strong presence felt in international affairs, as Big Tech appears to be transforming into a new type of Leviathan. With access to significant amounts of data, the rise of Big Tech poses a challenge to sovereignty's exclusivity and superiority, assuming the position of de facto data sovereign. The article holds that the Big Tech firms, by virtue of their technical advantages, have not only deconstructed the traditional concept of sovereignty, but also formed a complex symbiotic relationship.
尽管拥有海量数据和先进的计算能力,但大型科技公司已演变成数据时代政府必须接纳的新的数据主权者。数据挖掘与应用决定了数据的真正价值;在这方面,大型科技公司很难被取代。所谓的“第四次工业革命”正在重塑新兴的全球秩序,其核心就是大型科技公司。它们不仅表达自身关切、传播自身价值观和意识形态,还在国际事务中强势亮相,大型科技公司似乎正在转变为一种新型的利维坦。凭借对大量数据的掌控,大型科技公司的崛起对主权的排他性和优越性构成了挑战,俨然占据了事实上的数据主权地位。文章认为,大型科技公司凭借其技术优势,不仅解构了传统主权概念,还形成了一种复杂的共生关系。