The free things are the most expensive!

[Wexnident]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

Is that even news anymore? Like I'm pretty sure this has already been well known by most at least by 2020. At least around the age brackets of 25 and above currently anyway. I mean that period was where everyone was always on the internet. I reckon they'd have noticed one or two things that didn't seem odd. Just that they don't really give a crap anymore since, well, such info gathering has always been on going since years ago!

I've long given up trying to keep my data away. At this point, I'm just trying to keep data that can get me in trouble out of it instead. Selective showing if I were to describe it.

[kotajikikox]

Now the question is for people who're not make money from it, well people are forced because most people don't care with privacy.

If you are not making money from these platforms then maybe you should be looking for ways to do so because there are plenty of ways to take advantage of social media or other platforms that can be seen on the internet. You could use it for advertising, mode of transaction, communication, can be used for inspiration or other things. If you just know exactly how to take advantage of these platforms then you can also benefit from it just like those at the top though maybe not as much but who knows, right?

[Dr.Bitcoin_Strange]

How is it even free when you will spend your data subscription on the platform? It not free and doesn't look free in any form. You are paying for every service you get and your payment is the data you spend to scroll through, if you actually want some other services, then they click requires payment subscription.

[AprilioMP]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

Not free because every user needs internet data and internet data is not free.
Maybe on the basis of the user spending money on internet data so that now the social media platform has produced money through the content uploaded by following the terms and conditions.
Maybe we don't need the platform if they get our identity when registering because life will be safe if the data is not spread if it is like this.

[Cookdata]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

I think there is misunderstanding here. No app that has users in numbers are free but they are free with usage, they don't ask users money for using unless for some other apps that gives features and premium services, majority are free but the company can't be free forever, they have running server's, they have staffs, they pay the government as well for allowing apps work in some regions and yiu think making money from advert looks bad.

There is nothing like free service, you will have to pay for it. Some platforms even can give you option where you can use the playform without adverts but you must be a premium users to be eligible for that and that's why no company can function without funding. You didn't also mention about the money that were raised before some social platforms becomes live, a lot of investment were done and they are not free, money must be made back.

[iBaba]

How is it even free when you will spend your data subscription on the platform? It not free and doesn't look free in any form. You are paying for every service you get and your payment is the data you spend to scroll through, if you actually want some other services, then they click requires payment subscription.

Every online website is not absolutely free in real sense since at the end of the day, you won't be able to access it without the internet. Still better put, no information out there can be gotten for free. You will have to make some commitment to spending in one way or the other through your internet data spending. These websites also generate revenues through the traffic and clicks you drive into the page. The more the user's time spent, the more the revenue they're getting into the engagements.

You do not have to run ads before they make their money, they get it right at the moment you being surfing the internet. I'm already envisaging a time in which these social media platforms would most likely require the users to make some monthly or daily subscriptions if they must engage in some premium activities. By so doing, they are making you to stick into the platform the more and generate more revenue from your usage.

[Miles2006]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

Logically you just have to be partaker for example grow your social handles so you can also enjoy the benefit or else no one will stop using the internet if that’s the plan. TikTok is not free neither Facebook or google, all this social apps work with subscription. I don’t mind ideas like this except you’re indirectly telling the creator to ignore every profit and just gift the community although I don’t get the concept of the topic but, advertising becomes easy with the social features mentioned above.

[Agbamoni]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

You exaggerated the amount Facebook makes per user. They dont make that amount for selling one user information. How do you get to know about the amount in the first place? I know what you are saying is the truth, but that's too much for one user who are the respective customers they sell it to that will buy it for that amount.

Facebook, TikTok and other social media are not free your topic contradict your content. You consume date if you are steady on this platform. Tiktok sells you points, coins and stickers which are popularly known as gift if you want to be a gifter. I think they also charge you for verification which will also take sometime for them to verify you. Facebook, charge you for running ads on their platform based on the number of audience you want to reach out to.

So how are they free?

[robelneo]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

That's how they make money and the only way to combat this is to not fall for the temptation of clicking their ads, as they will bombard you with more ads on your profile, I am very active on social media, but I set my preferences on what do I want to see, Social medias needs advertisers to run their business but they also have to comply with the regulators with what the users  prefer to see, so it's really up to you really to set up your preferences and choices.

[shinratensei_]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

it's been like that since long ago, nothing is truly free in this world and these corporations aren't charity either.

but the question is, will you use their app for $25 a month so that they didn't collect your data? you might be fine with that but the fact that they are using their current business model, means majority don't want to pay and the only viable way to keep business in profit is exactly the business model you mentioned. it's bitter truth.

[MArsland]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

If without data, can we surf the internet? Does that mean it's paid? In the financial business for example on Facebook or TikTok, it is impossible for them to provide all services for free without any feedback from users, subscriptions, income traffic, taxes, etc. In your opinion are they doing charity? of course not
You buy data every month from a provider, the provider that operates has taxes, one of which flows to every company including Facebook because it is officially operating. The point is the way this economy works is not as simple as you imagine, if the free you call expensive is like what @Spaceman1000$ said like the oxygen we breathe for free, imagine if it was paid for? how much does it cost to take 1x  a breath? 

[bubilas]

Our data is constantly being sold. We place orders in stores, and our preferences are entered into demand and delivery logs. When we turn on a free VPN, it collects data on advertising, and although I consider it a fairy tale that it steals all passwords, it definitely looks at advertising preferences. Also, social networks like Instagram and Facebook constantly monitor all user preferences to understand what they are targeting and what kind of advertising to throw at them. That's why I only use paid services and advise everyone to do the same, and although I can't be sure that my data is not being spied on, we simply have no other choice.

[Fortify]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

I'm not sure this is entirely true, maybe not online but I've seen plenty of businesses trying to buy custom, but it has simply backfired because many people have took the freebie with no intention to spend more. Sometimes businesses just misjudge the market, there was a recent example where a car manufacturer was trying to expand in my country and also celebrate 70 years in business. So they offered people $100 (currency equivalent) in Amazon vouchers just to get people to take a test drive. It goes without saying that many people jumped on this with no intention to buy a new vehicle, which was the idea behind it.

[uneng]

Even aware about this fact, most people will still make use of such social medias, because privacy doesn't matter for them. To show off themselves on the internet and to know details about other people's lives is more important for them. It's a matter of personal values.

As long as they can maintain this social life going on, they don't care if the platforms are selling their personal data to criminals on the intrnet. We reached to a stage it's already obvious for people that they are the product, and they are fine with this.

[Marykeller]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

Whatever you do or have, that you needed something else before you have access to it, can't be seen as free things.

Google, Tiktok, and Facebook you mentioned, you need data to access them. Which without having data, I don't see any way you can access them. The mobile data in your gadget is what gives you access to them. The mobile data is not given freely. It is bought with money.

The free things that are expensive are oxygen, freedom, water, sunlight, air, and good health. Imagine when all these things I mentioned are far from your reach. Won't you pay heavily for any of them? To have them.

[justdimin]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

Most expensive for whom? Do you suggest that Google, TikTok and other social media platforms are "expensive" for the ordinary user?
How are they expensive for the regular user? Those platforms are gathering data about your personal interests and preferences, so that the advertisers could show you targeted ads, which might suit your preferences and interests. I don't know anything about any social media platform, that is selling your sensitive personal data to "shady buyers". If you are too afraid to use social media platforms, just don't create  profiles there. Nobody is forcing you to use social media platforms.

There were talks about how politics could be shaped based on marketing via social media. As in, social media platforms could very well make sure that they sell your sensitive data, to politicians, for more votes they could get. I am not saying that is bad, just saying that it is not just "oh look, a tea pot, I love that, I should buy it" type of ads, it's literally changing the whole nation and sometimes even the world type of stuff. Trump using these sensitive data (not saying he did, just saying if he did) could lead to USA being ruled by him, and that would impact the whole world too.

As you can see, it is not always as riskless as people think, or at least this is what OP is suggesting. Do I agree? Not so much, I believe it is still harmless, but I can see why they would be worried if they believe it could be used that way. I am on the belief that if you want to vote, you will vote, there is no way that you would be swayed another way by some ads online.

[hafiztalha]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

Is that even news anymore? Like I'm pretty sure this has already been well known by most at least by 2020. At least around the age brackets of 25 and above currently anyway. I mean that period was where everyone was always on the internet. I reckon they'd have noticed one or two things that didn't seem odd. Just that they don't really give a crap anymore since, well, such info gathering has always been on going since years ago!

I've long given up trying to keep my data away. At this point, I'm just trying to keep data that can get me in trouble out of it instead. Selective showing if I were to describe it.

I think OP choosed that topic because he was bored after reading the threads about the investment and property and gold and then he changed the topic and talked about Tik Tok and other social medias . He is new on that platform and want to be in the eye of legendary members and then they will give merit to him . I agree with your statement because that topic is not news and I think that topic is not to be discussed on that platform.There are millions of people who are on the social medias and they are only wasting their time to watch the videos of big YouTubers and tik tokers and these tik tokers are earning good from that and producers are in benefit and we are consumers indirectly.

[Oluwa-btc]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data.

In the context of the phrase " the free things are the most expensive" I would have thought you will be talking about, water, air, oxygen and the rest of the free things God created for mankind. However in addressing the free things you listed, they are basically not free, these are people's businesses you mentored, for you to use their facility, you have to pay for it

Exactly, this was what I thought when he talked about free things being expensive, cause in this part of the world the free gifts of nature is what you find so expensive whereas it shouldn't be, and I use to wonder why people have master minded to keep it that way but nevertheless if such natural gifts of life can be expensive then other things are not exempted cause you'll tend to pay before service as the watchword and if you don't do so you won't gain access to it.

[DPHOR]

Whatever social media you are using today is not free as long as you have access to it you must be paying from your data, some of them could be if you want to get the verification tags you would be paying monthly or yearly depending on how your packages is. That is to say that no social media is free whatever access you have, how much time you spend online are being encoded into money and the creator of those media get paid while you access the platform.

[Justbillywitt]

Google and TikTok may seem free, but every click and scroll you make gets packaged into a "user profile" and sold to advertisers. Take Facebook, for example—it makes about $50 per user per year just from their data. In the internet age, if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.

Everyone who uses Google, Tiktok, Facebook know that they are not free. You pay for data that you use in accessing these sites. So I don't know how you can think that they are free. I have never forgotten once thought that these sites are free. If you know what your doing, you can equally be making money from those sites by advertising your products and services. That way you are equally making money from those sites. Even they are making money from you because you are using the sites, you will be making more than they are making from you.