Page 23 - Reclaim YOUR DIGITAL GOLD (without audio)

Data is the New GolD

lengthy End User License Agreement (EULA). In order to
gain access to the site or platform, we are required to
check the box indicating that we have read the terms and
conditions and that we agree with them. This approach
is the same with most online business platforms that
charge a monthly subscription fee for their services.

These platforms do offer a valuable service that
provides convenience and entertainment in various
ways. As a result, surveillance capitalism has emerged
as a new business model based on end-user data. Most
online platforms, including social media and related
sites, use it to generate revenue through the acquisition
and exploitation of user data, for example, through
advertising that is directly linked to your search patterns.
This enables data to be profiled and classified based on
demographics, measured habits, and interests. These
systems generate technology algorithms that know
more about us than we do about ourselves.
Through the use of data, the information economy has
enabled Google, Facebook (currently transitioning to
Meta), and Amazon to build their empires. But what is
data, and why is it so important?

Data are discrete pieces of information that are
typically formatted and saved with a specific purpose
in mind. However, since the mid-1900s, when computer
science became a recognized field, data has been most
commonly referred to as information transmitted or
stored electronically.

Many contemporary technological discussions now
center on data. As a result, new technologies developed
to manage data are constantly sparking debate about

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