Techdirt Podcast Episode 45: No, You're Not The Product
from the even-if-you're-not-paying dept
There's a common refrain regarding services these days that "if you're not paying for it, you're the product" — but this notion is at best an oversimplification, and at worst outright untrue. This week, we look at the far more complex and diverse reality of how free services relate to their users.
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Filed Under: advertising, business models, free, you're the product
Reader Comments
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You ARE the product, and corporations pay shills to lull you to stand still for it.
The internet advertising model will not hold up much longer. Already about half of advertising is thought to be "viewed" only by bots. I've always said advertising is a scam, now it's being proven.
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Says the free service. I'm on to you, Techdirt!
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Here's a great example of the average Techdirt reader-
100% chance this douche pirates his movies and music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=104&v=ovD178AhhSc
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BTW if you want to see a system where democratic, community-focused moderation is a thing and mods are elected by the community, (and can be thrown out and replaced in a new election,) don't look at Reddit; look at the StackExchange network. (Disclosure: I'm an elected mod on one of the SE sites.)
Maybe. Perhaps they only made $1 off your latest post. But multiply that by a few hundred million users and soon enough you're talking about real money. The "serf" metaphor really does apply pretty well here: each individual serf didn't create all that much revenue for his lord, but the feudal lords tended to have plenty of serfs working for them on their estates.
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DMCA vote for you.
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What a surprise.
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Where's the transcript
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