The impact of big data on economic activity and the problems of its valuation

The relevance of the article is justified by the fact that the economics of big data (Big Data) at the current stage of development is a promising and unpredictable area. The article examines a rather new concept of “Big Data” and examines aspects of its appearance, content and development. The authors examined the modern possibilities of using Big Data in various spheres of life, considered the sources of their receipt and areas of use, and revealed the associated problems and threats. Special attention is paid to the problem of valuation of big data flows. The authors analyzed the available approaches to estimating the value of data, their accounting in the System of National Accounts, and presented the specifics of determining the value of data. In conclusion, the authors conclude that the characteristics of the data may not provide an accurate assessment of their economic value. However, they are necessary to obtain reliable and comparable estimates that can be further improved through economic or econometric analysis. Also, the updated SNA-2025 will provide a more accurate, and most importantly, a generally established methodology for evaluating big data for the economy.