1. Am I A Product?

Am I a Product?

There is a quite a bit of buzz over the statement –”If I am offered a free service, I am the Product” – pointing towards social media, search engines and the web.

To throw some more light, the common interpretation is that the Social media is using all the individual data in the public domain. I do agree to this and this is what makes me, as an individual, a product. My simple question is – Who decides on the ingredients of the product? It’s me, isn’t it? If I spill out my data on the public domain on the platform of which the social media or the search engines are designed, they are bound to use the data to run the business. They, I don’t think have established a charity organization. I am the one who can control what data I input from my side.

This may lead to another piece of argument mentioning – Do I not have a freedom to search anything on web or post what I like on Social media? Well, it is at my prerogative to do that but if I am using a search engine to fetch what I need, the search engine is providing a complimentary service and hence, it can know what I like to search. Similar for social media. These services make the best use of the elements that I myself provide them.

I am not cribbing over the statement but I want to see the affirmative side of it. I have been using social media, search engines and instant chat messengers since quite some while now and I truly feel, they are a boon to the mankind in many definite ways.

In the busy life, I don’t happen to meet my folks often. However, I have instant messengers for individual and group chatting that helps me stay connected. On social media, I can see their images and videos. I am aware that rendezvous have become thin in existence of social connect but if the social connect gets extinct today, am I sure I will be connecting with them in a similar of better manner?

There is so much of information readily available for me if I want to learn, explore and establish anything and everything under the sun. Will this be a cakewalk in the web disconnect?

Besides, I see loads of motivation and it helps me do a lot of things that probably were buried in my heart since long. On fulfilling these, I do boast about it on these platforms and yes, it might look bragging but I get the satisfaction as it results in self-assessment and go the extra mile.

When I was running a venture, social connect, messengers and technology had helped me connect with a bunch of people that ended up in strong business relationships.

I always wanted to be a part of something that can be beneficial to the living beings – at a social or an individual level. In the absence of technology, it would have been very difficult for me to connect the kind with the needy. I will be honest – To an extent, it would have also been embarrassing for me to seek direct help for the person who needs help from someone whom I know. Putting it on social media and messengers has made the life of a postman like me so straight. I experience results, I get loads love, blessings and satisfaction.

Social media and Technology has varied faces but it is up to my individual choice to make the best use of it or be best used by it.

On a lighter note, it is an irony that cursing Social media is also happening on Social media to a greater extent otherwise who has time and energy to gather people in an open ground and go ga-ga over it.

Yes, I am a product but I define my ingredients. The choice of ingredients is on me.