(本文選自《經濟學人》20200229期)
背景介紹：
隨著電子資訊時代的到來，數據作為一種資源越來越被人們所重視。有人說，數據就像空氣一樣，看不見、摸不著，但卻真實地存在著。雖然越來越多的人意識到了數據的價值，但數據的真實價值似乎還是被我們所低估了。那麼，我們應該如何去審視數據的價值呢？
Rethinking how we value data
重新思考數據的價值
Looking at the world’s most precious resource through new eyes
用新的眼光去看待世界上最珍貴的資源
Everyone knows that data are worth something. The biggest companies in the world base their businesses on them. Artificial-intelligence algorithms guzzle them in droves. But data are not like normal traded goods and services, such as apples and haircuts.
每個人都知道數據是有價值的。世界上最大的公司都是以數據為基礎開展業務的。人工智慧算法正在大量使用數據。但數據與正常的商品和服務貿易（例如蘋果和理髮）有所不同。
They can be used time and again, like public goods. They also have spillover effects, both positive, such as helping to improve health care, and negative, such as breaches of personal information. That makes them far from easy to value.
數據就像公共物品一樣可以被反覆利用。它還具有溢出效應，既有正面影響（例如，有助於改善醫療保健），也有負面影響（例如，個人信息的洩露）。這就使得數據的價值很難被估量。
A new report, led by Diane Coyle, an economist at the University of Cambridge, attempts to address this by understanding the value of data and who stands to benefit from it. She says market prices often do not ascribe full value to data because, in many cases, trading is too thin.
由劍橋大學經濟學家黛安·科伊爾主導的一份新的報告試圖通過理解數據的價值以及誰將從中受益來解決這一問題。她表示，市場價格往往不能真實反映出數據的全部價值，因為在通常情況下，數據交易太過淺顯。
Moreover, while much of society’s emphasis is on the dangers of misuse of personal data, the report chooses to highlight data’s contribution to 「the broad economic well-being of all of society.」 That gives it a much deeper value than a simple monetary one.
此外，雖然社會對於濫用個人數據的危害的重視程度很高，但這份報告還是強調了數據對於「全社會廣泛的經濟福祉」所做出的貢獻。這賦予了數據除簡單的貨幣價值外更深層次的價值。
She outlines a variety of data types and uses. Some may be more useful in aggregate, others for individual purposes. For example, a patient’s medical records may be most valuable when they are combined with everyone else’s, while web-browsing history has value when it is used individually to bombard a person with advertisements.
她概述了各種數據類型和用途。有些類型的數據可能聚合起來更有價值，而另一些則單獨就有價值。例如，將一名患者的病歷和其他所有患者的病歷匯總在一起時，它或許才是最有價值的，而當利用一個人的網頁瀏覽記錄對其進行廣告轟炸時，單獨的數據就是有價值的。
Timeliness also matters: phone-location records flowing in real-time for a car GPS-navigation system are useful for ten minutes, while today’s retail-sales transactions help forecast next year’s demand.
數據的及時性也很重要：對於汽車GPS導航系統來說，手機實時定位記錄僅在10分鐘內是有價值的，而今天的零售交易記錄對於預測明年的需求量是有價值的。
As yet the data economy does not distinguish such features well. Ms Coyle argues that a new mindset is needed, as well as institutions, such as data trusts, to ensure information is fairly distributed.
到目前為止，數據經濟還未能很好地區分數據的這些特質。科伊爾認為，我們需要採用一種新的思維方式，並依託數據信託等機構，以確保信息的公平分配。
Personal information should not be regarded through the lens of 「ownership」 but 「access rights,」 she says. Hence, people may control how it is used, but should not treat it as a winning ticket to be monetised.
她表示，我們不應該從「所有權」的角度來看待個人信息，而應該從「訪問權」的角度來看待。因此，人們可以控制數據的使用方式，而不該將其視為一種貨幣化的中獎彩票。
That should apply more broadly, she argues. For governments, the right strategy may be to make data freely accessible. Estimates for the value of open government data range from less than 0.1% to more than 7% of GDP.
她認為，這一點應該被廣泛適用。對於政府來說，正確的策略或許應該是讓數據能夠被自由訪問。對於政府公開數據價值的估量從不到GDP的0.1%到超過7%不等。
Companies also should consider privileging access to personal data above ownership of it. Try telling that to the tech giants, though. However data are valued, they have no doubt about how valuable exclusive control is to them.
公司還應該考慮將個人數據的訪問權置於所有權之上。當然，你可以嘗試將這一點告知科技巨頭們。但無論數據價值幾何，他們都不會懷疑獨佔數據對他們的重要性。
重點詞彙：
guzzle [ˈɡʌzl] v. 狂飲；暴食；狼吞虎咽
spillover [ˈspɪloʊvər] n. 溢出；溢出效應
transaction [trænˈzækʃn] n. 交易；事務；辦理
mindset [ˈmaɪndset] n. 心態；傾向；思維
monetise ['mʌnitaiz] vt. 使貨幣化
亞洲浪潮，博鰲視野
立足亞洲 面向世界
傳遞論壇最新動態 促進亞洲深度合作
全球重要對話的傳達者 亞洲共同發展的瞭望者
原標題：《雙語|重新思考數據的價值》