> The price is ostensibly zero. Forgive me for stating the obvious, but while much of your post is agreeable, but the products behind Patreon, Thumbtack, or wh

> The price is ostensibly zero. Forgive me for stating the obvious, but while much of your post is agreeable, but the products behind Patreon, Thumbtack, or whatever aren't "free," despite the $0 app download. They offer services to which their apps are merely gateways. Meanwhile, for the last twenty years, venture-backed startups have deferred revenue and given away free services in pursuit of growth. Your complaint is equivalent to accusing bakeries of giving away smells and glass windows. There are serious surveillance issues endemic to the internet, but this isn't the smoking gun.