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Refining big data is a new multipurpose way to find, collect, and analyze information obtained from the web and off-line information sources about any research subject. It gives the opportunity to investigate (with an assumed level of statistical significance) the past and current status of information on a subject, and it can even predict the future. The refining of big data makes it possible to quantitatively investigate a wide spectrum of raw information on significant human issues—social, scientific, political, business, and others. Refining creates a space for new, rich sources of information and opens innovative ways for research. The article describes a procedure for refining big data and gives examples of its use.

Chinese social media and big data represent an important share of the global Internet, but have received relatively less attention. This editorial examines three dominant discourses based on China's distinctive and complex political, economic and social realities: "Big Data" (technical focus), "Big Brother" (political focus), and "Big Profit" (economic focus). We argue that the prevailing discourse and practice of big data in China is largely technocentric, decontextualized and nonreflexive, and much less attuned to the social, political, cultural, epistemological, and ethical implications of big data that a humancentric approach would demand. Second, the authoritarian Chinese state poses incredible political challenges to big data research and practice. Third, the practice of Chinese social media and big data is imbued with a discourse of technological nationalism, driven by a handful of monopolistic "national champions." Despite contention, the state and market players have formed a largely mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship to maximize their political and economic gains. We argue a comparative perspective to foster a global conversation on social media and big data is necessary in order to formulate collective responses to such challenges.

2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every day through pictures, messages, gps-data, etc. "Big Data" is seen simultaneously as the new Philosophers Stone and Pandora's box: a source of great knowledge and power, but equally, the root of serious problems.