Hunter Storm | The Dark Side of Free Services

The Dark Side of Free Services | What You’re Actually Paying With

Ever wonder why services like Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are free? Because you’re not the customer, you’re the product. This article will explain the dark side of free services. You’ll learn how “free” services make money by tracking you, analyzing your behavior, and selling your data.

If a service is free, it means you’re paying in other ways, usually with your data, privacy, and attention. Learn more about how to secure your online information in my article, Essential Cybersecurity Tips Everyone Should Know.

If you’re concerned about online privacy, check out my articles:

These easy guides will break down how free services make money, what they track, and how to protect yourself.

Are Free Services Really Free?

Companies don’t run billion-dollar businesses out of charity. If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.

How “Free” Services Make Money

Ads: They collect your data and sell ad space based on your behavior.
Data Sales: They sell or share your information with advertisers & third parties.
Engagement Farming: They keep you scrolling so you see more ads.

Pro Tip: If a service relies on ads, their priority isn’t you, it’s keeping advertisers happy.

What Data Are You Giving Away?

Most free services track and collect far more than you realize. Examples of What’s Being Collected:

Browsing habits (even outside their site).
Location (even if you turn off GPS).
Face, voice, and other biometric data (apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Alexa).
Who you interact with (social media relationships, call history).
Private messages
Search history

Repeat after me: There is no such thing as a private message. The term “private message” is more of a marketing term. I would refer to these as “semi-private” messages, since they aren’t public. However, there are hundreds to thousands of people with access to your private messages at various companies. That’s because email, text messaging, and other services require systems administrators, etc.

Pro Tip: Even if you delete a post, platforms keep data stored in their databases and in offline storage. Other companies scrape your posts, save, and re-post them.

The Biggest “Free” Services and How They Make Money

Note that in this section, we discuss things each platform does. However, most platforms do the same thing, so this is not intended to call anyone out as if they are doing anything different. The point here is to discuss what is happening so you can protect your privacy.

Google

Owns the world’s largest ad network, Google Ads.
Scans your emails (Gmail) & searches to personalize ads.
Tracks every website you visit (Chrome, Search, Maps, YouTube).

Facebook / Instagram

Collects everything (your likes, comments, messages, even mouse movements).
Tracks your activity on other websites (Facebook Pixel).
Uses AI to predict what you’ll click next and keeps you scrolling longer.

TikTok

Collects biometric data (face & voice recognition).
Stores data on servers outside the U.S., raising security concerns.
Uses an aggressive algorithm to maximize engagement.

YouTube

Even if you never sign in, Google tracks what you watch.
Recommends videos based on your watch time & behavior.
Uses AI-driven ad targeting (your searches influence ads you see).

Pro Tip: Even when you log out, these services can still track you through browser cookies and device IDs.

How to Minimize Data Collection

You may not be able to completely avoid data tracking, but you can limit exposure.

Use Privacy-Focused Alternatives:

DuckDuckGo or Brave Search.
Firefox with privacy extensions.
ProtonMail.

Adjust Your Privacy Settings:

Turn off ad personalization in Google & Facebook settings.
Disable location tracking when not needed.
Use a VPN to mask your IP address.

Be Mindful of What You Share:

Avoid posting personal details publicly.
Assume that everything you type, click, or say is being tracked.

Pro Tip: The less data you give away, the less these companies have to sell.

Nothing is Truly Free

“Free” services survive by selling your data. Your privacy is valuable. Don’t give it away for free.

If you’re not paying with money, you’re paying with your privacy.
You can’t avoid all tracking, but you can limit it.
Think before you share. Once data is out there, you can’t take it back.
Don’t post or interact online unless you understand the ramifications.

Glossary

Ad Personalization: The process of using your data to show targeted ads.
Browser Cookies: Small files that track your internet activity.
Data Mining: The practice of analyzing user data to predict behavior.
Engagement Farming: Designing content to keep users scrolling longer.
Virtual Private Network (VPN): A tool that hides your online activity.

Discover More from Hunter Storm

Did delving into the dark side of free services whet your appetite for more information on privacy and security? Dive into our lively collection of articles designed to boost your digital savvy and cybersecurity know-how. From demystifying the differences between websites and platforms to mastering online privacy, our series offers practical insights to help you navigate the internet like a pro.