The Cost of Free

• This lesson is entitled The Cost of ‘Free.’ What does that mean to you now?
• That means the implications and consequences that come with having a free application that you reveal data on. 
• How would you explain The Cost of ‘Free’ to a family member, or person you just met, if you had only 60 seconds?
• Many websites and companies offer services that are free, whether you can download them for free in the app store or you can access it for free online. However, these companies such as Google and Facebook have increasingly high gains and profits. How do they make so much money while you receive their services for free? They sell your information and the data collected on you from your use of the application. They sell to the government or to private advertising organizations. All of the data on you can be found by other people and manipulated by malicious people. Therefore, there might be a big cost to your free applications. 
• Right now, which way are you leaning? Too little privacy? Right amount?
• Are you willing to give up some privacy (and potentially some security) to have free access to modern innovative tools - do you trust companies to be good stewards of your data?
• Are you concerned? Do you think too much of your data is out of your control? Do you think too much personally identifiable data is given over to someone else?
• What other questions do you have?