How "Free" Really Works Online

On this poster, “Facebook” should really be a fill-in-the blank option. I can think of several other instances where this is true. If you’re not paying for a service online, then you’re what’s being sold to advertisers and marketers, either in the form of ads being served, your data being sold, or both. So, in the case of the Facebook redesign backlash, that was the pig complaining about the barn getting a paint job and a new rope swing.

Facebook and You [imgur]
Original comic by Geek & Poke

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.