What’s Wrong With Free Stuff
Nothing, however when it comes to free technology or software, be aware that it normally means that you are the product. The reason social media, youtube, and google can remain free services is because they profit off of the data that you - the user, creates. This is a tradeoff that most people would be willing to make, however it doesn’t hurt to be aware of the tradeoff.
Is It Bad to be The Product
Nope, but it can be. You should always read the terms of service to better understand what your data is being used for, especially if you run a business or want to ensure you own your data and/or content. Ultimately, most people will not discontinue using a service based on changes to the terms of service, but again it’s information that’s good to know. Wouldn’t you want to know if your Alexa or Siri was all of a sudden recording and storing every conversation you’ve ever had, even if you werent directly using the service? FYI this actually happened, unfortunately…
What Can I Do?
Use discretion as always. We cannot stop major companies from using our data in these ways. If it is in the terms of service, it is a risk that you accept. You should carefully determine which risks, from which services you would like to accept.
Choose wisely.