The first pop-up advertisement that catches my eye today is from a company called datacoup, which touts itself as “the first personal data marketplace.” Essentially it’s a company to which individuals may sell their personal data from social media outlets rather than giving it away for free…

This is exciting in the way online prostitution was titillating, as a phenomenon, in the late ‘90s, when something that had been going on behind the scenes (since the beginning of civilization—the beginning of the Internet) was suddenly foregrounded. Because I am fascinated by the myriad ways in which contemporary culture morphs from invisibly exploitive to performative—in this case playing the role of the kindler, gentler, micro-capitalist venture—I will absolutely sell my data. Why not, I give it away for free?

Just as copyright issues are continually being renegotiated in the digital age [think everything from the copyleft movement and Creative Commons to the emerging field of Art & Law, (see Clancco)], so is our relationship to what was once called privacy in the era of data mining. The contemporary digital landscape is fraught with post-Postmodern issues to explore; when I discover something like datacoup all I want to do is sell, sell, sell!

Let go
Get paid every month.
You'll get paid like clockwork.

While I haven’t even sold my data yet, datacoup knows me.
Datacoup is encouraging me to let go.
Who doesn’t need to let go a little?
Now that I don’t have to worry about those erratic paydays, I can really let my hair down.

Transparency
Sell only what you want.
Pick and choose what data you want to sell.

I will sell data related to my favorite candies
(Sour Patch Kids and Zotz…Maybe they will send me free samples based on my data).

I will sell my queerness
(I like girls and I cannot lie…They know though—boys too).

I will not sell secrets
(I am not afraid of dying alone).

I will sell my preference for independent bookstores
(I do feel guilty buying books online, even when from an independent).

I will sell my taste in music
(Pity the fool who thinks it'll be lucrative to tap into the taste of someone who stopped following popular music when The Strokes still mattered). 

I will not sell my body
(That’s so ‘90s).

Add
Choose multiple data sets
From social media to your debit or credit card, it's up to you.

I will choose openness.
I am an open e-book, waiting to be devoured.
Use me and abuse me.
Explore and exploit my finicky taste in cosmetics.
Analyze and amortize my inconsistent relationship with fancy cheese.
At the Internet’s feet, I lay down every debit card purchase I make (should I be embarrassed for them to see how much I spent on asymmetrical sweaters last year?).

You decide
Decide who buys your data.
To sell or to not sell, it's up to you.

My data goes to the highest bidder. Always.

Learn more
Beautiful data visualizations
See your data like never before.

No longer will I have to waste time drawing out charts to visualize my narcissism, now datacoup will do it for me.
Automation reigns supreme.
(And, I’ll make money doing it ‘stead of givin’ it away for free).  

Secure
Bank level security
256 Bit AES Encryption

I shall rest soundly knowing the 256 Bit AES Encryption is working, even when I am not.