• can@sh.itjust.works
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    11 months ago

    Do they sell data or sell services using data they collect? Honest question.

    • cynar@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      I believe generally not. They sell the results of processed data, but the data is their golden goose. Why sell it wholesale, when you can charge for every use of it?

        • bartolomeo@suppo.fi
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          11 months ago

          I think they profile individuals and sell those profiles to ad companies, or in the case of google (ad company AND source of data) they pair ads to devices that fit a profile for the ad, like “rides a bike”, “risk averse”, “owns several cats” would be a profile for an ad selling cat bike seats that can hold 4 cats. That’s one way of using the data but there are many more, each more nefarious than the previous one, I guess culminating with Cambridge Analytica, especially their African endeavours.

          Btw is your username in reference to the band can?

          • can@sh.itjust.works
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            11 months ago

            Btw is your username in reference to the band can?

            Yes it is! You’re only the second person to catch that in my 6 months here.

          • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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            11 months ago

            Google is the ad company. They don’t sell their primary business advantage to competitors.

            CA bought data from Facebook, not Google.