If you're talking about FaceTime and iMessage... They might technically not cost any money, but if I wanted to use them I'd first have to pay for an overpriced badly designed phone, which means they're debatably free. They're used to enrich the iPhone- just look at the whole blue/green text bubble thing. 'If you don't also have an iPhone you get treated differently' hardly sounds like something a totally 'free' software would include. It just feeds into their 'exclusivity' bubble.
seukari
joined 2 years ago
I recently learned that one method for companies to get around data selling laws is to give the data away for free in order to attract certain types of advertisers, then, they sell ad slots for people with specific demographics or interests.
They don't sell the data because that is harder to do with laws restricting it, so they just use it as advertiser bait in ways that bypass the law.
Further reading: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/google-says-it-doesnt-sell-your-data-heres-how-company-shares-monetizes-and
As a female tech lead, its comforting to know I don't exist!
Which nation, out of interest?
Maybe you, a single person, don't have a full knowledge of the industry? Maybe you feel like that because those are the kind of people you've been around? Outliers happen, and there's evidence to back up her statements. Why would you make assumptions about someone you've never met just because the people around you aren't that good?