考研英语二真题：阅读Text3(新东方版)

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考研英语二真题：阅读Text3（新东方版）
DigitalmediaOpinion
TheGuardianviewondigitalgiants:theyfarmusforthedataEditorial
WeareneitherthecustomersnoreventheproductofcompanieslikeGoogle,butweturnourlivesintotheknowledgethattheysell
Anastonishingprojectisunderwaytobuilda“digitaltimemachine”thatwillshowusinfinedetailthelivesofordinaryVenetiansacrossathousandyearsofhistory.Itismadepossiblebythepersistenceoftherepublic’sbureaucracy,which,whenNapoleonextinguishedtheRepublicofVenicein1797,leftbehind80kmofshelvingfullofrecordsofbirths,deaths,trades,building,landownership,privateletters,ambassadors’reportsandevenmedicalinformation.Allthisisnowtobedigitised,cross-referenced,andanalysed,andallitssecretslaidbaretoprovideapictureinunprecedentedrichnessanddetailofthelivesofindividualsandthedevelopmentofsocietyovermanycenturies.Obviously,thisiswonderfulforhistoriansandindeedanybodywithanimaginationalivetoday.Onewonders,though,whattheVenetianswouldhavemadeofit,hadtheyknowntheirlivesandletterswouldbesocarefullyanatomisedaftertheirdeaths.
Farmoreisknownaboutusnow,though,andinrealtime.ThedataintheVenetianarchiveswasunmatchedinmedievalandevenearlymodernEurope,butitisonlylegendandscrapsofhearsaycomparedtotheknowledgeofusaccumulatedbythegiantsofthedigitaleconomy–Google,Facebook,andAmazon–whoallinvariouswaysusethedataharvestedfromtheiruserstomakebillionsofdollars,from

advertisingorfromdirectselling,orfromsomecombinationofboth.Theirknowledgeofourintimatelivesdoesn’twaittwocenturiesormoreuntilwe’redead.Theygetitlive,inrealtime.Sometimestheyknowourmindsbeforeweknowthemourselves.It’sasituationquiteunprecedentedinhistory.
TheEuropeancommissionmaybeabouttolevythebiggestfineinitshistoryonGoogleforanti-competitivebehaviour–potentiallymorethan€1bn.Thiscase,fiveyearsinthemaking,isthelatest,andperhapsthelargest,battleinthestruggletoestablishdemocraticcontroloverthegiantsofthedigitaleconomy.IntheUS,thegovernmenthasbeencapturedbythecorporations,andinChinauniversalsurveillanceisopenlyconvertedtoameansofgovernmentcontrol.OnlytheEUattemptstobalancethesepowerstothebenefitoftheordinarycitizen.
Thepowerandambitionofthesecompaniesisastonishing–AmazonhasjustannouncedthepurchaseoftheupmarketgrocerychainWholeFoodsfor$13.5bn,buttwoyearsagoFacebookpaidevenmorethanthattoacquiretheWhatsAppmessagingservice,whichdoesn’thaveanyphysicalproductatall.WhatWhatsAppofferedFacebookwasanintricateandfinelydetailedtraceryofitsusers’friendshipsandsociallives.FacebookpromisedtheEuropeancommissionthenthatitwouldnotlinkphonenumberstoFacebookidentities,butitbrokethepromisealmostassoonasthedealwentthrough.Evenwithoutknowingwhatwasinthemessages,theknowledgeofwhosentthemandtowhomwasenormouslyrevealingandstillcouldbe.Whatpoliticaljournalist,whatpartywhip,wouldnotwanttoknowthemakeupoftheWhatsAppgroupsinwhichTheresaMay’senemiesarecurrentlyplotting?ItmaybethatthevaluetoAmazonofWholeFoodsisnotsomuchthe460shopsitowns,orthedistributionnetwork,buttherecordsofwhichcustomershavepurchasedwhat.

Competitionlawappearstobetheonlywaytoaddresstheseimbalancesofpower.Butitisclumsy.Foronething,itisveryslowcomparedtothepaceofchangewithinthedigitaleconomy.Bythetimeaproblemhasbeenaddressedandremedieditmayhavevanishedinthemarketplace,tobereplacedbynewabusesofpower.Butthereisadeeperconceptualproblem,too.Competitionlawaspresentlyinterpreteddealswithfinancialdisadvantagetoconsumersandthisisnotobviouswhentheusersoftheseservicesdon’tpayforthem.Theusersoftheirservicesarenottheircustomers.Thatwouldbethepeoplewhobuyadvertisingfromthem–andFacebookandGoogleoperateavirtualduopolyindigitaladvertisingtothedetrimentofallothermediaandentertainmentcompanies.
Theproductthey’resellingisdata,andwe,theusers,convertourlivestodataforthebenefitofthedigitalgiants.Justassomeantsfarmaphidsforthehoneydewthatoozesfromthemwhentheyfeed,soGooglefarmsusforthedatathatourdigitallivesexude.Antskeeppredatoryinsectsawayfromwheretheiraphidsfeed;Gmailkeepsthespammersoutofourinboxes.Itdoesn’tfeellikeahumanordemocraticrelationship,evenifbothsidesbenefit.
Thisarticlewasamendedon19June2017toremoveareferencetoApplewhichwasnotapt.
/commentisfree/2017/jun/18/the-guardian-view-on-digital-giants-they-farm-us-for-the-data

考研英语二真题：阅读Text3(新东方版)

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