The actual cost of social media

[piyushbhatia1]

While using social media websites we often assume that there is free sign up. This process may look simple where we get a free account to connect with others. The problem is that we are giving away our information without charging any fee. In the real world if a stranger would ask for our information we are less likely to give it. We would never share our photos, videos, like and dislikes. In the online world we trust the website policy that says we do not sell user data. One point we miss upon is that all website agree that they sell our information to partner websites. The easiest way to partner up with such a website is by paying them. This means that anyone who is willing to pay large sum for our data can become their partner. The data factory owner which is the user doesn't get anything expect advertisements. Overall the user is not getting paid for something that they already have.

[Jason76]

Well, you know, there's no such thing as a free lunch.  I can't really blame them for taking people's data.  I mean, if you offered something, wouldn't you expect something, one example being the data, in return?  Who are we kidding here?

Also, as another thought, if it wasn't free, then imagine how difficult it would be to get sign-ups.

[Jessi Tayylor]

Privacy and bondage. People tend to enclose themselves inside the world of social media, tying them to post every once in a while, just so they can brag what they ate and where they went. And not owning one just makes you an alien.

[RandomOccurrence]

Attempting to justify this sort of behavior from these companies is going to further normalize this sort of “data theft” and have people become comfortable with essentially giving away their privacy for free.

I think we really underestimate how valuable our personal information is and part with it too quickly for our own good. Of course, I don’t see any solution to this outside of limiting your use of websites that ask for your data, but that’s simply just the price to pay here.