I agree that selling an actual product or service[1] the proper way to build a respectable and sustainable business.
As for making the user the product[2], advertising is merely the most obvious and publicly visible way stolen user data can be exploited for profit. For example, I doubt Experian is using the search information they get from webmd[3] for targeted advertising.
[1] an actual service; abusing copyright to bypass first sale and other forms of rent-seeking doesn't count
As for making the user the product[2], advertising is merely the most obvious and publicly visible way stolen user data can be exploited for profit. For example, I doubt Experian is using the search information they get from webmd[3] for targeted advertising.
[1] an actual service; abusing copyright to bypass first sale and other forms of rent-seeking doesn't count
[2] obBalkan: https://projectbullrun.org/surveillance/2015/video-2015.html...
[3] http://motherboard.vice.com/read/looking-up-symptoms-online-...