The Illusion of Free

I read this article "The Illusion of Free" on A List Apart and it got me thinking about all the social and interactive web pages I use and the information I provide. The author surmises that these websites which provide us with "free" services are not free at all. We are providing them with countless statistics and information about our private lives just by hitting buttons and not being aware of the data they are collecting. It is a bit scary/overwhelming how all this works. I recently only learned about it a few weeks ago in UX:101. Companies pay millions of dollars in seconds via software for cookies so they know what you like and when to post. The author in the end simply suggests that we acknowledge this is happening and take steps to make sure our privacy is not being lost just by being aware. Finally she suggests we try to actually do something about it. Mainly by using different services and asking questions. I agree with her but at the same time the task seems a bit staggering. These systems are so integral to websites that we use that I am not sure where I would begin. It does get me thinking though and the next time I upload a new app or take a survey to get to something else, I'll think again before hitting I AGREE. I would suggest the same to everyone.