Yeah, it’s invasive and predatory and sucks and I hate it. But I also don’t understand it. Someone out there is paying for my data (demographics, purchase and browsing history, psychological profile maybe?) how are they making back their money on that purchase?

Seems like either

• a) the marginal difference in wealth extraction for the whole population is worth more than the data costs,
• b) it isn’t and these purchasers are net losing money, or
• c) there’s some nefarious propaganda goal where the motive is more control than profit

I wish they’d leave me alone*

*Except for steam