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Europe's Question of the Day

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Would you be willing to sell personal details about yourself to advertisers?

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As the surreptitious tracking of Internet users becomes more aggressive and widespread, tiny start-ups and technology giants alike are pushing a new product: privacy. Companies including Microsoft Corp., McAfee Inc.—and even some online-tracking companies themselves—are rolling out new ways to protect users from having their movements monitored online. Some are going further and starting to pay people a commission every time their personal details are used by marketing companies.

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    • 480 days ago
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    I've already done that--getting those discount cards at the grocery store is effectively the same thing--the discounts you're getting are in exchange for sharing your buying patterns with the store or their suppliers.

    I strongly prefer to see ads that match my interests. The ads on the side of my facebook page are almost always a perfect match, and I always click the x when I see one I think is misleading or just not relevant to me, etc. In that way I've "found" several facebook pages that I get updates from (like Napolitano) without every having had to search myself.

    I don't want my time or their time (or screen real estate, whatever) wasted on things I have no interest in, anyway. It's win-win, plus an extra win for me if they want to pay me to filter out ads that I don't want to see.

    On the other hand every time I see a leftist-oriented political ad in my gmail I always click on it because I want it to cost them money...

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    • 480 days ago

    My Dad (passed away in 1985) was off the grid. Late in his life he got his first credit card - just for emergencies. He paid cash for everything. Never had a loan; except of the mortgage which he paid off in 15 years. I have often thought if it would be possible to duplicate that feat today. Unfortunately - I do not think so. I too have no debt - but have used plastic (debit card) for everything for years. I did not "sell" my data; but my actions gave it away!

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