One of the biggest contemporary challenges for social sciences is the emergence of Big Data practices and infrastructures (Couldry, 2020). Critique of practices of datafication (Van Dijck, 2014) and their role in the corporate (re)construction of social life have already emerged across communications and media research.  Scholars have questioned the phenomenon of big data (Borgman, 2016, Boyd and Crawford, 2012), emphasizing the spatial nature of data manufacturing and emerging data divides (Andrejevic, 2014, Dalton et al. 2016). Some recent studies have emphasized “data justice” (Sourbati and Behrendt, 2020) as a significant issue to be addressed in data-driven government and policy making and thus implying a critical need for studies that demystify the transnational process of data manufacturing as secretive, non-transparent and intimidating (to global or national security).  Data is the newest and most coveted raw material and is often extracted by transnational companies (platforms), that are not transparent to the host or local authorities. How can we make these companies more accountable and improve fairness in data governance?  In order to answer this vital question, this project will use the empirical example of data manufacturing along Digital Silk Road (part of Chinese Belt and Road Initiative) to understand the emerging relations in data governance between transnational corporate entities, local authorities and local customers (and citizens), and to suggest ways of mitigating the emerging frictions. Specifically, following methodological suggestions of previous scholars (Lehtiniemi and Haapoja, 2020) it will look at data arrangements and policies that govern these arrangements in two specific domains: smart city infrastructure and smart port logistics.    The goal of the study is to investigate the processes of data manufacturing and data governance exemplified by the development of DSR’s digital infrastructure.  The specific objectives are: 1. To ...