Comment Reality (Score 2) 164
There is nothing inherently wrong with the concept of trading personal information for goods or services. Nor is there anything inherently wrong with the concept of a free market, where companies can offer a wide range of products, services, and TERMS. In fact, both are appealing and I can understand why many people would be hesitant to put limitations on said. In order to understand why others feel the need to do just that, one must give due consideration to the REALITIES of the free market.
Theoretically, consumers have the power to decide which practices continue and which practices don't. We can, after all, provide feedback and vote with our feet. Companies wanting to stay in business must satisfy the wishes of their customers. Where there is unfullfilled demand, companies will see an opportunity to profit and move to satisfy that demand. Etc. However, as the saying goes, reality bites.
In a world where corporations have hundreds of thousands, millions, and in some cases tens of millions of customers... and where corporations have a tremendous amount of power, money, and influence (individually, let alone collectively), it is very difficult for consumers to exert enough pressure to change things. Sure, extremely serious situations, such as those involving a threat to one's health, ma [eventually] generate enough public attention, outrage, and lawsuits to force a change. But for less serious situations, say privacy or unethical direct marketing practices in general, a strong and broad "movement" is unlikely to materialize. Even if most people object to the practices in question. Why? Because people are busy with the burdens and responsibilities of every day life. They simply don't have the TIME to actively combat every problem they come across. Even if they do, many are overwhelmed and discouraged by the daunting task of combating a corporation or industry.
So what happens, over time, is that more and more corporations end up having their way. Which is, naturally, to collect and use as much information as possible. After all, where only a minority of consumers are actively objecting, secondary use of collected information and unsolicited direct marketing pays handsomely. Corporations tend to follow each other's lead. You need to stay abreast, if not ahead, of the competition. If the competition is out-profiting you by using such practices, you better get in the game too. This produces a trend where companies, particularly large publically traded companies that emphasize the bottom line above all else, keep pushing the limits. Mainstream companies are some of the worse offenders in terms of requiring people to cough up information and then using that information for secondary purposes (usually without their explicit consent). This greatly exacerbates the problem, for people are strongly compelled to do business with such "reputable" companies. To say that the mainstream companies have a captive audience wouldn't be too far off the mark. Again, realistically speaking. Can you imagine how much more difficult and expensive life would be if you couldn't, because of objectionable practices, do business with any of the top 5 or 10 businesses in an essential industry like computers or health care or banking, or the like? This is the situation/risk privacy conscious people are facing. To give in to such practices or restructure their life so as to avoid such practices. Practically speaking, that's not much of choice IMO.
Theoretically, consumers have the power to decide which practices continue and which practices don't. We can, after all, provide feedback and vote with our feet. Companies wanting to stay in business must satisfy the wishes of their customers. Where there is unfullfilled demand, companies will see an opportunity to profit and move to satisfy that demand. Etc. However, as the saying goes, reality bites.
In a world where corporations have hundreds of thousands, millions, and in some cases tens of millions of customers... and where corporations have a tremendous amount of power, money, and influence (individually, let alone collectively), it is very difficult for consumers to exert enough pressure to change things. Sure, extremely serious situations, such as those involving a threat to one's health, ma [eventually] generate enough public attention, outrage, and lawsuits to force a change. But for less serious situations, say privacy or unethical direct marketing practices in general, a strong and broad "movement" is unlikely to materialize. Even if most people object to the practices in question. Why? Because people are busy with the burdens and responsibilities of every day life. They simply don't have the TIME to actively combat every problem they come across. Even if they do, many are overwhelmed and discouraged by the daunting task of combating a corporation or industry.
So what happens, over time, is that more and more corporations end up having their way. Which is, naturally, to collect and use as much information as possible. After all, where only a minority of consumers are actively objecting, secondary use of collected information and unsolicited direct marketing pays handsomely. Corporations tend to follow each other's lead. You need to stay abreast, if not ahead, of the competition. If the competition is out-profiting you by using such practices, you better get in the game too. This produces a trend where companies, particularly large publically traded companies that emphasize the bottom line above all else, keep pushing the limits. Mainstream companies are some of the worse offenders in terms of requiring people to cough up information and then using that information for secondary purposes (usually without their explicit consent). This greatly exacerbates the problem, for people are strongly compelled to do business with such "reputable" companies. To say that the mainstream companies have a captive audience wouldn't be too far off the mark. Again, realistically speaking. Can you imagine how much more difficult and expensive life would be if you couldn't, because of objectionable practices, do business with any of the top 5 or 10 businesses in an essential industry like computers or health care or banking, or the like? This is the situation/risk privacy conscious people are facing. To give in to such practices or restructure their life so as to avoid such practices. Practically speaking, that's not much of choice IMO.
