Big Data & Society

Big Data & Society (BIG DATA SOC, ISSN: 2053-9517) is a leading, peer-reviewed, open access journal published by SAGE Publications. With a 2026 Impact Factor of 7.800 and a JCR Quartile ranking of Q1, it stands as a premier outlet in the social sciences and interdisciplinary fields, critically examining the societal implications of big data, data analytics, and data-driven technologies. The journal’s scope spans the complex interplay between data practices and social, political, ethical, and economic structures, covering topics such as algorithmic governance, data justice, surveillance, digital labor, platform power, and the epistemology of data science. It publishes a range of article types, including original research articles, review articles, commentaries, and special thematic issues that encourage critical, empirically grounded, and theoretical contributions. The target audience is broad, encompassing sociologists, geographers, media and communication scholars, data scientists, policy analysts, and legal scholars interested in the social and ethical dimensions of datafication. A notable feature is its fully open access model, ensuring global dissemination of research without subscription barriers, which aligns with its mission to foster inclusive and critical debate. As a Q1 journal with a high impact factor, Big Data & Society is widely recognized as a top-tier venue that sets the standard for critical data studies, regularly shaping policy discussions and academic curricula on the societal challenges posed by big data.