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"Selling your data" is marketing nonsense created for disinformation. Companies like Facebook, Google or even Samsung don't sell data. They collect data and get

"Selling your data" is marketing nonsense created for disinformation. Companies like Facebook, Google or even Samsung don't sell data. They collect data and get advertisers to pay them to target ads on their behalf. The user data never leaves their system (unless hacked, but that's a different topic). No, it doesn't bother me that they show me ads about products I'm actually interested in based on what they know about me. Not only it means that I don't get bothered with things I would most likely not be interested in, it also means that advertising costs go down significantly allowing the market to produce very niche products which would otherwise not be viable. Targeted ads is the best thing that has happened to the economy in the last decades.

fphhotchips 5y ago
This isn't true. Facebook/Google may not be selling your data, but companies like them absolutely are. Data aggregators exist, and they're all about buying your data, creating data products from them and then selling them on to marketing organisations.
- ComradePhil 5y ago
  Whichever companies are selling data, they are not like Facebook or Google then. I'd say that they're completely different if they literally collect data and sell copies to third parties. This would be illegal in some parts of the world but sure, maybe some do it. What I'm saying is that Facebook, Google and Samsung companies are not in the business of selling data like the common disinformation messaging would have you believe.
bilekas 5y ago
They're selling access to the data, your data all the while you have little to no idea. The issue you raised about getting targtted ads is fine, I don't think many will dissagree with you, but its about having the option to turn it off. Theres the disconnect. When you're forced into an ecosystem that you cant tailor, it leaves a bad taste.
- ComradePhil 5y ago
  >but its about having the option to turn it off Facebook, Samsung and Google let you turn this functionality off. They're legally required to do so in parts of the world but they give this option to everyone.
freebuju 5y ago
If ad brokers (the Googles of this digital world) ever wanted me to pay attention to them (and their ads), they would give me a toggle to switch ads on and off as I please. As long as a simple choice like this isn't made available to me, then it's uBlock all the way. Or zero interaction from my end with the ad broker's platforms. I recon from an individual perspective, ads are not a game changer to consumer behavior. They only burden the individual with more decisions to make when choosing a product to buy. Infact, in today's standards they only serve as a way to guess-timate person X bought toothpaste B because of ad campaign Z. Therefore, give us (ad broker Y) some of that kickback. When I still would have bought the toothpaste anyway.
- ComradePhil 5y ago
  > they would give me a toggle to switch ads on and off as I please Why would they let you disable ads on their ad-supported platform? There are plans like YouTube premium if you want no ads in there, which I think is worth it and I do pay for it because it is a much better YouTube experience. By using ad blockers, you are merely taking away from everyone else using the platform. I wish these companies did more to stop ad blockers. >I recon from an individual perspective, ads are not a game changer to consumer behavior. That's because from what you wrote, you don't seem to understand how these ad platforms work.
  - freebuju 5y ago
    > Why would they let you disable ads on their ad-supported platform? Because they stand to gain (immensely) from building my trust about their model of advertising if I choose to participate in it. Or maybe am being too optimistic and everyone would disable ads 100% of the time given such an option? Would be an awesome experiment for Google :) The problem with these platforms you call ad-supported, is even when you pay a subscription for premium the content creators are allowed to slot in sponsored segments which isn't exactly my definition of an ad-free experience. > By using ad blockers, you are merely taking away from everyone else using the platform. I wish these companies did more to stop ad blockers. Taking away what exactly? If you could be a bit more specific. Also, you are free to dream in your utopia where ad blockers don't serve a need, just don't expect everyone to follow you there. > That's because from what you wrote, you don't seem to understand how these ad platforms work Would be happy if you could explain where I got it wrong.
philjohn 5y ago
The people selling data are the data brokers who hoover up store card data, credit card purchase data etc. etc. Those are the REALLY creepy ones, and yet, we never talk about them ...

fphhotchips 5y ago

This isn't true. Facebook/Google may not be selling your data, but companies like them absolutely are. Data aggregators exist, and they're all about buying your data, creating data products from them and then selling them on to marketing organisations.

ComradePhil 5y ago
Whichever companies are selling data, they are not like Facebook or Google then. I'd say that they're completely different if they literally collect data and sell copies to third parties. This would be illegal in some parts of the world but sure, maybe some do it. What I'm saying is that Facebook, Google and Samsung companies are not in the business of selling data like the common disinformation messaging would have you believe.

bilekas 5y ago

They're selling access to the data, your data all the while you have little to no idea. The issue you raised about getting targtted ads is fine, I don't think many will dissagree with you, but its about having the option to turn it off. Theres the disconnect. When you're forced into an ecosystem that you cant tailor, it leaves a bad taste.

ComradePhil 5y ago
>but its about having the option to turn it off Facebook, Samsung and Google let you turn this functionality off. They're legally required to do so in parts of the world but they give this option to everyone.

freebuju 5y ago

If ad brokers (the Googles of this digital world) ever wanted me to pay attention to them (and their ads), they would give me a toggle to switch ads on and off as I please. As long as a simple choice like this isn't made available to me, then it's uBlock all the way. Or zero interaction from my end with the ad broker's platforms. I recon from an individual perspective, ads are not a game changer to consumer behavior. They only burden the individual with more decisions to make when choosing a product to buy. Infact, in today's standards they only serve as a way to guess-timate person X bought toothpaste B because of ad campaign Z. Therefore, give us (ad broker Y) some of that kickback. When I still would have bought the toothpaste anyway.

ComradePhil 5y ago
> they would give me a toggle to switch ads on and off as I please Why would they let you disable ads on their ad-supported platform? There are plans like YouTube premium if you want no ads in there, which I think is worth it and I do pay for it because it is a much better YouTube experience. By using ad blockers, you are merely taking away from everyone else using the platform. I wish these companies did more to stop ad blockers. >I recon from an individual perspective, ads are not a game changer to consumer behavior. That's because from what you wrote, you don't seem to understand how these ad platforms work.
- freebuju 5y ago
  > Why would they let you disable ads on their ad-supported platform? Because they stand to gain (immensely) from building my trust about their model of advertising if I choose to participate in it. Or maybe am being too optimistic and everyone would disable ads 100% of the time given such an option? Would be an awesome experiment for Google :) The problem with these platforms you call ad-supported, is even when you pay a subscription for premium the content creators are allowed to slot in sponsored segments which isn't exactly my definition of an ad-free experience. > By using ad blockers, you are merely taking away from everyone else using the platform. I wish these companies did more to stop ad blockers. Taking away what exactly? If you could be a bit more specific. Also, you are free to dream in your utopia where ad blockers don't serve a need, just don't expect everyone to follow you there. > That's because from what you wrote, you don't seem to understand how these ad platforms work Would be happy if you could explain where I got it wrong.

philjohn 5y ago

The people selling data are the data brokers who hoover up store card data, credit card purchase data etc. etc. Those are the REALLY creepy ones, and yet, we never talk about them ...