Yet people have been paying for groceries with checks in grocery stores for decades. I did some work for one of the companies that mine data from checks (20 yrs

Yet people have been paying for groceries with checks in grocery stores for decades. I did some work for one of the companies that mine data from checks (20 yrs ago), it was amazing how much they could get from scanning the front of a piece of paper. This data was then used by the chain, as well as being sold to all sorts of other companies. No one gave them permission, but you can't stop scanning a check if you want to use it. It's still done today, but of course now we have credit/debit and loyalty cards, and you think that's not used by the grocery chains to track your purchases? Unless you refuse to use a loyal card and use a more anonymous system like Apple Pay the store can't really track you, but the issuer knows who you are (but can't connect you to what you bought that I know of). None of this is new. Unless you pay with cash and wear a disguise, you are giving something to them. I wish Apple did not sell ads of any kind (the don't need even more money), but using knowledge you gain just from a transaction to make money, simply because you have to exchange some information to get what you want, is as old as selling anything (Omar in the market sees you bought two sets of flowers, assumes you are an adulterer, turns you in for a reward to the Czar).