Most Valuable Product on the Web - YOU!

If you are using a free online service its sponsors are mining your data for information to sell to 'advertisers and other third parties' - it's that simple. The service providers primary product isn't what you are using - it's YOU!

All internet service providers are 'for profit entities'.  They need to make money. They make money by selling ad space and information about who is using their service.  Only last week, Google began a class action law suit whereby it plans on arguing that it's not a violation of privacy to scan your emails, build a profile about your interests and proclivities, and sell that information to third party clients - because to Google, using G-mail gives you "no legitimate expectation of privacy". To Google, G-mail isn't the product ... you're the product.

Now, in all fairness, the products being served up for free - search, email, social networking, phone access, etc. - are in exchange for your data and that business model works very well. In fact, these web service providers clearly state in their privacy policies (be it in the small print) that "this is what kind of information we collect and who we share it with".  Facebook doesn't even call their privacy policy a "Privacy Policy", they call it a "Data Use Policy".

The question then becomes, would you be willing to pay for your favorite free (and additive) service such as Facebook, YouTube, email, etc. or would you drop them?  And at what level of cost would you draw the line?  When you pay, you have more control because you can then demand an opt-out system be put in place so your data is not shared.  The main goal of the service providers is getting money for data collection and disbursement so you have to pay them for not dispersing your data.

Don't forget, anything you put on the web is not yours! You don't own it and have no legal right to it. Once posted - memo, letter, text, photo - it is the property of the service provider.  So, maybe it's time to break the 'free habit' and stop all of the superfluous personal data flow. Stop and take control of your vanity and not have your 'life' sold to others to manipulate and influence. Or maybe not because you don't mind having your personal information sold and you love the free services you are getting and using on a daily basis.

Jim