True Costs?

The business of our attention, and how your screen cashes in

Free of charge? Definitely not. On social media, our data are the true currency. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube may seem to be free spaces for entertainment and exchange—but in the background, the tech companies are raking in billions. Every minute we spend online becomes a source of revenue: our data are collected, analyzed, sold and used for targeted advertising.

Experts in internet economics estimate: one minute of online time is worth an average of 2 cents—from our scrolling and liking alone. Ultimately, we ourselves are the product: the longer we stay online, the more the cash register rings at TikTok, Meta and the rest. So we are the ones wearing the actual price tag—paid for with our attention and our digital footprints.

Reinforced with Algorithms!