How People Make money online from just surfing the internet

This collected data allows companies like Google and Facebook to generate billions of dollars in advertising income each year by targeting advertisements to us.

For example, if you are looking through online fashion merchants to maybe purchase a new pair of jeans, you might see advertisements for the denim pants showing elsewhere on your computer screen pretty soon. We've all seen this happen with whatever we were thinking of buying.

The extent to which we are being followed online is pretty unsettling. According to one recent survey, the average European gets data about his or her internet activity shared 376 times every day. This almost doubles to 747 for surfers in the United States.
But what if you could not only have greater say over how much of your data is shared, but also profit from it?

That is the promise of Surf, a Canadian software business that debuted a browser extension of the same name last year. It compensates individuals for using the internet.

It is still in beta or restricted availability in the United States and Canada, and it operates by circumventing Google and selling your data straight to retail companies. Surf rewards you with points, which you may then cash for store gift cards and discounts.
Foot Locker, The Body Shop, Crocs, and Dyson are among the companies that have joined up thus far.

Swish Goswami, Surf's co-founder and CEO, claims the company aspires to be "the frequent flyer rewards of internet browsing."

"From the beginning, we have been transparent with users about what we share and don't disclose, and we offer them the power to govern their data as well," he says.

"I believe that if you are open with people and let them know you are sharing data with brands in an anonymized form - i.e. it cannot be traced back to them since we don't have their first or last name - people would feel more comfortable saying 'yes' and sharing more with us."

You fill up the topics you're interested in, and Waverly's AI program identifies articles it believes you'll enjoy reading. The Montreal-based company was founded by Philippe Beaudoin, a former Google developer.

Users of the app may update their choices on a frequent basis and provide feedback on which articles are recommended to them.

Mr. Beaudoin claims that users must exert some effort by telling the program what they are interested in, but that in exchange, they are free of being "caught by adverts."

"Responsible technology should empower people, but it should also not be afraid to ask them to perform some work on their behalf," he argues.

"In exchange, our AI reads millions of articles every day and indexes them [for users]."

Rob Shavell's US company, Abine, has two applications that allow users to strengthen their privacy: Blur and Delete Me. The former prevents your passwords and payment information from being monitored, whilst the latter eliminates your personal information from search engines.

Mr Shavell believes that accessing the internet should include "privacy by design."

Carissa Veliz, an associate professor at Oxford University's Institute for Ethics in AI, believes that technology companies should be "incentivized to establish business models that do not rely on the exploitation of personal data."

"It is concerning that the majority of the algorithms that govern our lives are created by private firms without any form of oversight or direction to ensure that such algorithms are supportive of our public goods and values," she says.

"I don't believe openness is a cure, or even half a solution, but politicians, in particular, should have access to the algorithms."

"It is troubling that the vast majority of the algorithms that regulate our lives are generated by private corporations with little supervision or guidance to guarantee that such algorithms are supportive of our public goods and values," she argues.

"I don't believe transparency is a panacea, or even a half-measure, but politicians, in particular, should have access to the algorithms."