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We use the internet every day to read news, watch videos, learn new skills, listen to podcasts, and scroll through social media. Most of the time, we don't directly pay for these things.

But that made me wonder: if we aren't paying, who is?

A lot of online platforms make money through advertising, while user attention and engagement help drive that revenue. Our data and online behaviour can also play a role in how content and advertisements are personalised.

Then there's another side of the story: the creators.

Journalists, writers, photographers, educators, YouTubers, and other creators spend hours researching and producing content. Yet we've become accustomed to expecting almost everything online to be available for free.

There are huge benefits to free content. It makes education, information, and entertainment accessible to people who might not otherwise afford them.

But there are also important questions about privacy, attention, advertising, and whether quality content can remain sustainable.

So I'm curious:

When you use a “free” online service, what do you think you're actually paying with—your attention, your data, your time, or something else?

I'd love to hear different perspectives, especially from people who work in journalism, content creation, or digital media.

#DigitalMedia #Journalism #ContentCreation #Internet #MediaLiteracy