3 ms·

If I'm supposed to let them sell my privacy and attention, I wouldn't really call it free. Money isn't the only thing of value I can give to a website.

• recursive 10y ago
  Free means you don't have to give them money to use it. If you use a different definition, you will often be confused.
  • mcbits 10y ago
    It's the voluntary nature of the payment and whether the cost is tangible to you that determine what is free, not the currency used. Substitute "your FBI file" for your ad network profile and "compute time on your Amazon instance" for JavaScript time in your browser to make this clearer.
    • nathancahill 10y ago
      Tell me more about this Silicon Valley place where everything is magically free?
      • mcbits 10y ago
        I'll have to defer to someone who actually makes that claim.
        • jeshan25 10y ago
          Decide for yourself, either use it or don't.