Les sciences sociales face aux traces du Big Data — société, opinion ou vibrations ?

The third generation of Social Sciences currently emerging must assume the specific nature of the world of data created by digital networks, without falling back on the Sciences of «Society» or «opinion.» All of these entities were constructed in specific political, institutional situations and with specific techniques. «Social» Big Data is taken into account by agencies specializing in the processing of this data to produce potentially predictive correlations primarily for the benefit of brands. The risk is that the Social Sciences would be lastingly disqualified from producing reflexivity that has hitherto been their raison d’être. Beyond «society» and «opinion» for which the text lays out a genealogy, appear the «traces» that must be theorized as «vibrations» by the Social Sciences in order to reap the benefits of the uncertain status of entities’ widespread traceability.