Jeremy Sharp - Tech Director
Just last week I had an interesting conversation with the middle schooler who lives at my house. We discussed how Google’s business model is fundamentally an advertising company. The way that Google is able to generate revenue and thus be a profitable business is primarily through selling ads. In fact, most online services operate this way. It is often said that when we use social media, the platform is not the product, but instead we, the users, are the product. Knowing this should have an impact on how we approach our online choices. We need to be aware that the content we see is influenced by how companies monetize our activities.
I am not saying that we should delete our accounts and never go online. Rather, I am encouraging everyone to check the privacy settings on our favorite apps and sites. By knowing what information is being shared and with whom, we can make better choices about what we share. Additionally, by knowing what companies are doing with our data/content, we are better able to decide what level of participation is best.