Stop Tech Companies Monetising Our Data Like It's Themselves, Not Us, That Own It

We need a new data ownership framework that grants individuals genuine control over their personal data and allows them to profit from its use by corporations. This isn't about privacy in the abstract, but about economic fairness. Currently, tech giants treat our digital footprints as their own private mines, extracting value without any meaningful compensation flowing back to the source.

The proposed legislation would establish a tiered system for data access and monetisation. For basic services, companies could use aggregated, anonymised data with user consent, similar to existing terms but with clearer opt-out mechanisms. However, for any use of specific, identifiable personal data – for targeted advertising, AI training, or market analysis – companies would be required to pay a usage fee directly to the data owner.