Big Tech refers to the world's most dominant technology companies, most commonly the "Big Five" in the U.S.: Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet (Google), Amazon, and Meta (Facebook), which together account for about a quarter of the S&P 500's value. The term emerged around 2013, drawing parallels to "Big Oil" and "Big Tobacco" as concerns about concentrated market power grew after the dot-com bubble. Acronyms like FANG (coined by Jim Cramer in 2013 for Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google) and later FAANG (adding Apple) have evolved, with newer variations like MAMAA and MANGOS (2026) reflecting changes in the industry. The core "Big Four" (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta) are often criticized for creating a "surveillance capitalism" economic order due to their control over user data and behavior. Other companies like Nvidia, Netflix, and Tesla are sometimes included, while Chinese firms such as Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, and Xiaomi (BATX) are seen as international counterparts. Working in Big Tech, especially in technical roles, is considered highly competitive.