Why you should get paid for your data | Jennifer Zhu Scott

The world's most valuable tech companies profit from the personal data you generate. So why aren't you getting paid for it? In this eye-opening talk, entrepreneur and technologist Jennifer Zhu Scott makes the case for private data ownership -- which would empower you to donate, destroy or sell your data as you see fit -- and shows how this growing movement could put power (and cash) back into the hands of people.

[JLWonderland]

Unique perspective and great argument on data and privacy. I felt nudged by her talk live at TEDWomen in Oct 2019, and watching it again gives me more refreshing thoughts.

Technology businesses as of today tend to describe humanity with metrics: acquisition, retention, monetization, and the customers don’t have much control of their own data. And when all the recommendation engines target customers based on their data, customers don’t have much control of their lives either. It is daunting reality.

Jennifer proposed a grand vision and one way to solve the issue. While I think it would be difficult to address the issue with that solution, that now I (and we) know more about this issue will invite more possible solutions.

[ApplicoInc]

We've covered this topic extensively on our channel and found that the majority of users either don't care, or are willing to trade their personal data in exchange for access to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and/or the multitude of services Google gives away for free (Google Docs/Sheets/Forms, YouTube, Maps, Android APIs/services). While implementing an economic model that empowers individuals digitally is great, selling of personal data doesn't really do much to get us there. The value of your personal data is dwarfed by the value of the services offered by platforms like Google and Facebook. As she says at 6:56, most of us currently make this trade of data for services. If you could sell your data for $20 would you then be willing to pay to use services like maps, an office software suite, and social media?

[kyra]

Amazing speech. We are not really aware of how our data is being used

[OmphileMaake]

I’ve already downloaded all those apps... and this is absolutely true. We need to start getting paid ‼️‼️‼️

[bottomlessinkwell]

extraordinary Mrs. Scott !!! Thank you for the insight and perspective, I’m going browser browsing!

[brandonsheffield]

I agree with this. Privacy is super important to me, practically priceless.

[bledbacklife]

Andrew Yang has been talking about this during his campaign for presidency. If only more people listened.

[giainhnho]

Now, I understand, she shared very well, thanks you

[colarguns]

Not only should we be paid for our data, we should also be paid for the time it takes to correct our monthly bills, such as electric or cable.

When I was in business years ago, we had roughly 30-40 recurring monthly bills/vendors. It was almost monthly where we always had to stay on the phone constantly with these vendors, rather than with our customers or potential customers, in order to correct (their) mistakes.

So I asked my secretary to log all of those calls by date/time/duration. By the end of one week, she had logged nearly 9 hours!!!! It was at that time that I yelled out, “they should have to pay my company for lost income, that I could have had!!!” Not only potential lost income from a customer, but the time my secretary used to correct their over billing mistakes.

[benverzijlbergen]

It's a nice idea to up the price of our data. But to say we get nothing right now is just not true. I use the products they have made in exchange for my data. Again, it might be a bad deal, but it's still a trade I agree to everytime I click 'I agree'

[littlekulits]

For those curios, she was talking about a search engine called DuckDuckGo.. I don't google anymore, DuckDuckGo is just as effective.

[Oddie]

Only proof I need for this video, I forgot I was subscribed to Skillshare so now I'm getting charged twenty dollars because I have yet to cancel my subscription after the free trial :(

[SM]

Great video💗Thank Jennifer for me TED.

[Sean_Downey]

More of this please. Also, if done already, pleas point me to, if not please do more on full year online or school education. As COVID-19 progresses, many kids, teens, adults will go without education.

[invox]

I've been saying this ever since Facebook came out. We should have access to our own Data. And if companies want to use it (companies outside Facebook) fine. But if they get paid, WE get paid tyvm.
The first company to do this will see everyone migrate there instead of Face. And if you think it is not possible, look at Ubers, Youtubers, Streammers, and others that make money WITH the platform they are in.

[rishijoshi]

The worst thing we have done to us, is that we have accepted that our data has either no value or that we cannot do anything to save it...we all should be paid for our data !

[ybbolb]

Our payment is the "free" services that these tech companies provide.

[vicodyne]

Elastos is a new internet where everyone own their data, google it. It's the future, I believe it will become as big as Microsoft and Apple.

[TheAsgardRaven]

A good introductory presentation into a murky subject that is far more complex than presented, though far is more pertinent than ever. And hopefully this will contribute in cementing these new perspectives on personal information into the minds of the average person on at least some level.

Though I'm really curious why this specific topic and speech was presented at one of the many pandering off-springs of TED that is TEDwomen and not just TED, if i'm not mistaken on that fact.

[TheAcc]

every technical company need to pay insurance for our data, raise security awareness