Скачать или смотреть The Free Internet Is Not Free

Most major platforms operate on a split personality model. The front end looks free, open, and democratic. Anyone can sign up, post, message, and store data without paying upfront. That is the bait. The back end is where the money flows. Corporations and governments pay for enterprise tools, storage, security layers, analytics, and priority services.

The free layer builds scale and dependency. Once millions rely on the ecosystem, it becomes infrastructure. Institutions then pay to operate inside it. What appears to be a public utility is actually a cross subsidised commercial engine.

The same illusion shapes social media fame. It promises access and visibility to everyone. In reality, revenue concentrates at the top. A tiny fraction captures advertising income while the majority supply free content and attention.

The pattern is simple. Attention is harvested at scale. Data is monetised at scale. Aspiration is distributed widely. Profit is not.

#socialmedia #platformeconomy #digitalcapitalism