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Neither Grindr nor OkCupid are non-profits. As the apps are free as in beer, if you don't pay with money, you pay with your data. If they didn't sell data, how
by est31 7y ago
Neither Grindr nor OkCupid are non-profits. As the apps are free as in beer, if you don't pay with money, you pay with your data. If they didn't sell data, how would they make money? How would they get those valuations? If paid dating services do this, which they probably do, I agree it's scandalous. But in this case, it's more or less implied. Of course it's sad that so few people are aware of this fact.
- quirkafleeg3 7y agoThey both make money from premium memberships that give extra functionality and features. Remember kids, collecting and selling data is never okie dokie.
- est31 7y agoGood point. They are a paid/non-paid hybrid then. Paying money for a service and getting your data sold is extremely shitty.
- tw1010 7y agoIt wouldn't be so sleazy if the fact that that's the transaction being made was less of an "open secret" and more of an acknowledged fact.
- anjc 7y agoIt doesn't follow that because an app is free as in beer that the app company is selling your data to make up the cost of running the app. For one thing, the likes of Plenty of Fish got to near billion $ valuation via AdSense and banner ads. I imagine people generally think this is how apps earn their money, if they were forced to think about it, especially since lots of freemium apps simply remove some banner ad when you pay. Secondly, many companies are getting to mega valuations with free apps, via debt.
- JohnFen 7y ago> got to near billion $ valuation via AdSense and banner ads ...which are probably collecting your data.
- pessimizer 7y agoThe idea that if you pay for a service they won't probe for, exploit, and sell your data is a fairy story where companies leave money on the table because they decide they have enough money. The data of paying customers is worth even more than the data of deadbeats.