I have negative sympathy for people who still aren't aware that if they aren't paying for something, they are the something to be sold. This has been the case for almost 30 years now with the majority of services on the internet, including this very website right here.
People are literally born into that misunderstanding all the time (because it’s not obvious). It’s an evergreen problem.
So you are basically saying you have no sympathy for young people who happen to have not been taught about this, or been guided by someone highly articulate in explaining it.
Is it taught in schools yet? If it’s not, then why assume everyone should have a good working understanding of this (actually nuanced) topic?
For example I encounter people who believe that Google literally sells databases, lists of user data, when the actual situation (that they sell gated access to targeted eyeballs at a given moment and that this sort of slowly leaks identifying information) is more nuanced and complicated.
It is taught in schools that everything you post online is public.
That explains why ISPs sell DNS lookup history, or your utility company sells your habits. Or your TV tracks your viewership. I've paid for all of those, but somehow, I'm still the product.
Tbh, even if they are paying for it, they’re probably still the product. Unless maybe they’re an enterprise customer who can afford magnitudes more to obtain relative privacy.
I paid big $$ for my smart TV, yet I still feel like I'm the product :(