this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2025
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okay they're building evil, HOWEVER
one of the only instances I've heard of people's data (fucking hate calling it that) being paid for instead of just straight up stolen
Grocery store discount cards have been paying people for their data for a long time. I guess it's not money being deposited into people's bank accounts, but the discounts people get from using those cards is compensating people for their data. A lot of credit cards have points and rewards for the same reason. They aren't giving out discounts and rewards because they're nice people, they do that so you'll sign an agreement to allow them to sell your data.
It just seems to be accepted by everyone that pretty much every purchase using a card is tracked and the data sold to various marketing scumbags. The only time people get bothered by it is if their own government purchases that data... data which is being sold on an open market to scumbags around the world.
I'd say it's the other way around - you're paying extra for not consenting to tracking, so it's similar (and even worse) model that i.e Facebook has. There's no way the discount card discount is not factored in the normal price calculation, and I vager most shops are counting on the product not being sold for a bit until it's it's turn for a discount.
The "Fetch Rewards" app that pays you to scan your receipts (and all the spinoff ones) is another example. It's one that I don't use but been recommended it by my coworkers.