Data is perhaps one of the most valuable assets in today’s world. They are a critical factor determining the mergers and acquisitions of many technology companies. Consider Google. The acquisition of FitBit increases its data portfolio to include health information for hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. The goal is a competitive advantage over the Apple Watch and Samsung.

This is a modest addition to all the other data about what users are searching for, where they live, where they work, their travel patterns, interests and much more.

Have you ever used public Wi-Fi? Then at the very least, you’ve provided your phone’s IP address and location data, in addition to other contact and personal information. What’s more, with Internet of Things devices increasingly inhabiting homes and capturing data, the idea of ​​privacy is becoming wishful thinking.

Where does all this information go? One obvious answer is ads. For example, if you have searched for an item on obuvki.bg and have not yet purchased it, it is very likely that you will see ads for those products that you have viewed on other websites you visit. Microtargeting of ads is only possible thanks to the vast amount of data we have voluntarily provided.

And here again the question of the right to choose in the provision of data and the possibility to really exercise it arises. Today, there are more and more companies whose main business is protecting your identity online, such as VPNs, services that encrypt data in the cloud, and subscriptions that provide you with randomized email addresses and contact numbers to access websites without indicate real details.

But many of these services come at a price. Literally.