I agree that selling an actual product or service[1] the proper way to build a respectable and sustainable business.<p>As for making the user the product[2], advertising is merely the most obvious and publicly visible way stolen user data can be exploited for profit. For example, I doubt Experian is using the search information they get from webmd[3] for targeted advertising.<p>[1] an actual service; abusing copyright to bypass first sale and other forms of rent-seeking doesn&#x27;t count<p>[2] obBalkan: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;projectbullrun.org&#x2F;surveillance&#x2F;2015&#x2F;video-2015.html#balkan" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;projectbullrun.org&#x2F;surveillance&#x2F;2015&#x2F;video-2015.html...</a><p>[3] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;motherboard.vice.com&#x2F;read&#x2F;looking-up-symptoms-online-these-companies-are-collecting-your-data" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;motherboard.vice.com&#x2F;read&#x2F;looking-up-symptoms-online-...</a>