Sell Don’t Tell: Are you ready to pay for Facebook?

Private Data is the New Gold, and Internet Companies Know It

Your addiction is someone else’s fortune; so think twice before posting those selfies on Instagram. True, it may get you a lot of likes, but it is a social media company that is the true benefactor. As young people get more and more addicted to the social media, their behavior is a source of quick cash for all of those corporations selling out data (Waterson, 2019). Then, what do they do with it?

They sell ads, but they do it in a way to target specific customers. With all the private information people share, it is easy to know what ad might work on a client, and what ad will not. The problem is not only that the data is gathered, but that people do not understand this and luckily waive their rights away. Is it ethical? No, it is not. Yet, is it legal? Definitely. The question of Facebook and Google making money on unaware users is not so much about being fair; rather, it shows how uneducated we are when it comes to things that appear free and are popular.

If Facebook stops collecting our data and spamming us with various ads, what could be a solution then?

If we really want to protect our data, first we have to understand the rights and conditions of the platforms we use. Then, we have to draft the regulations that will actually protect users and not the companies. Finally, if that will be the case, and no data collection/no ad policy will be implemented, we should also get ready either to pay for Facebook (so have a subscription-based platform), or move to a blockchain or an alternative resource yet still pay. Either way, if we want to be secure, we have to be willing to pay for it.

Reference

Waterson, J. (March 18, 2019). Social media addiction should be seen as a disease, MPs say. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/mar/18/social-media-addiction-should-be-seen-as-disease-mps-say