Data as a Currency and Cloud-Based Data Lockers

Data as a Currency and Cloud-Based Data Lockers

Abstract— Monetization strategies that are apparent to consumers include virtual goods, in-app purchases, and advertising-supported models, as the increasing number of pop-ups, pop-unders, banners, mobile, text-based, in-game, and other ad types makes clear. Such ads can be used not only to sell products and services directly, but also to position brands and < Final Year Projects 2016 > viewpoints. A less obvious monetization strategy is the use of customers’ personal data—data entered into forms, email text and attachments, the increasingly extractable data in images and videos, data from devices such as DNA sequencers or in-home “things” such as dishwashers and refrigerators, and mobile device sensors. In some cases, such data is used to better target advertising, with real-time auctions used to sell the impression opportunity to the highest bidder. But in other cases, the data is sold through data brokers, and consumers have little visibility into who has acquired their data or for what purpose.