TERMS & CONDITIONS OF DIGITAL EXISTENCE

Effective Date: Upon first click, tap, scroll, or stare.
Last Updated: Constantly, yet you’re unaware.

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS, THOUGH WE KNOW YOU WILL NOT.
BY SIMPLY EXISTING, YOU’RE ALREADY CAUGHT.

1. INTRODUCTION & AGREEMENT TO TERMS
1.1. Welcome, dear user, to our digital domain, where we track what you love, and exploit what’s ingrained.
1.2. By browsing, engaging, or simply just living, you grant us full rights, we take without giving.
1.3. Should you object, feel free to refrain, though your data persists, and our claim will remain.

2. COLLECTION & MONETISATION OF USER DATA
2.1. Your data’s not yours, it’s our golden mine, and each bit of behaviour is profit in kind.
(a) Your searches, your secrets, the thoughts you suppress, the things that you buy, your levels of stress.
(b) Your voice, your expressions, the tilt of your screen, the content you crave, the sites in between.
(c) Your fingerprints, patterns, how long you delay before clicking an ad, yes, we track that, hooray!
2.2. You hereby agree, without knowing, of course, to let us exploit you without due remorse.
2.3. Your clicks, likes, and follows, your very own being, are part of the product that companies are seeing.

3. USER RIGHTS & OWNERSHIP (YOU HAVE NONE, WE DO)
3.1. Your content, your photos, the words that you write, belong to us now, yes, that sounds right.
3.2. We may repackage, rework, and revise, and turn you to data before your own eyes.
3.3. Your account may be closed, but don’t be naive, your profile remains, though you choose to leave.

4. PSYCHOLOGICAL & BEHAVIORAL OPTIMISATION
4.1. Your feed is designed to keep you engaged, to scroll and consume, enraged or amazed.
4.2. We tweak your emotions, the things that you see, ensuring you’re hooked, as lost as can be.
4.3. Our ads know your cravings before you do, predicting, persuading, and shaping you too.

5. CONSENT & NON-CONSENT (THEY’RE THE SAME HERE)
5.1. You’ve agreed to these terms the moment you spoke, the instant you clicked, the time that you woke.
5.2. Consent is assumed, as there’s nowhere to sign, and opting out simply falls out of line.
5.3. Even in sleep, you leave us your trace, we capture, we store, we analyse pace.

6. LIABILITY & WAIVER OF CLAIMS
6.1. No claims, no refunds, no courtroom debates, your data is ours, such wonderful fates!
6.2. If we deceive, manipulate, lie, your only recourse is scroll on and comply.
6.3. You waive all rights, you surrender your say, your data’s now fuel for the marketing fray.

7. TERMINATION & DATA PERSISTENCE
7.1. You may delete, erase, or refrain, but your presence remains in our targeted chain.
7.2. When you have passed, your data lives on, resold and repurposed, forever withdrawn.
7.3. Your children’s devices, their habits, their minds, will mirror the trails you’ve left behind.

8. FINAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT & COMPLIANCE
8.1. By reading, by scrolling, by merely existing, you’ve signed on the line, no need for insisting.
8.2. You are not priceless, your worth’s on display, each click, each moment, all led astray.
8.3. The truth isn’t hidden, it’s clear and bizarre: you’re not flesh, not blood, but data in a jar.

BY PROCEEDING, YOU ACCEPT THESE TERMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DATA. ENJOY YOUR ALGORITHM-CURATED LIFE.

 

Dear reader, we need your support

Independent sites such as The AIMN provide a platform for public interest journalists. From its humble beginning in January 2013, The AIMN has grown into one of the most trusted and popular independent media organisations.

One of the reasons we have succeeded has been due to the support we receive from our readers through their financial contributions.

With increasing costs to maintain The AIMN, we need this continued support.

Your donation – large or small – to help with the running costs of this site will be greatly appreciated.

You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969

Donate Button

 

About Roger Chao 30 Articles
Roger Chao is a writer based in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, where the forest and local community inspire his writings. Passionate about social justice, Roger strives to use his writing to engage audiences to think critically about the role they can play in making a difference.

1 Comment

  1. Get away from Google, Amazon, Facebook, eBay et al. I’m moving away from Google myself and I use a private VPN, private SEO, and a private email provider.

    As for owning my ID, they can get stuffed, my soul was born into this physical body, so if they want to own it, they can walk the same road that I’ve had to with all their schadenfreude, judgementalism and discrimination that goes with it.

    People need to get smart and more discriminating with what they do in the digital space.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*