Free access to my data on central storage - What do I get ?

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Was just contemplating how things were evolving - my mails are on a web based server, my documents are saved probably on a web based server, my friends are all probably somewhere on the net, my search patterns can easily be captured. Well in short my entire identity can be probably constructed from my data on the web.

Well yes this could be a security threat and all that, but I see it differently. Companies like Google , Skype , Yahoo etc are making money by placing context specific advertisements by gleaning off the data that I have stored on the central servers. For example I open a mail on GMail , a content specific ad is placed on the side, I click it and somebody else makes money.

What did I get for storing my data on the central server. I agree that I did get convenience, I clicked on the ad because I found it relevant etc. But did get the best deal for what I was looking for - possibly not ! For taking the risks of putting my personal data accessible to everybody on the central servers I did not even get the comfort that I got the best deal - rather dismal.

Anyways that's how things are working and it will probably only get more and more acute, so I will learn not to complain but look at options of making money from this very 'data'

Am definitely not alone in thinking on these lines - somewhat explains why the number of sites where user generated content is stored is shooting up - Blogging sites, sharing content.

Comments welcome

Links : Wireless Watch : TechCrunch

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