OK let’s imagine that you have a close friend or family member with some confidential issue - maybe an illness, maybe debt, maybe they are in the closet. Occasionally they message you, on old -fashioned SMS or email mentioning something about it.
How many dollars is a reasonable trade to tell a data collection agency everything you know so they can add it to their file on your friend/relative?
I probably wouldn't, unless it was in excess of maybe >$1000/month. And even then I'd probably just get a new phone. But people should have the right to sign contracts, even if they seem exploitative, as long as they are aware of what they are agreeing too.
The main problem it seems here is that a lot of the people were underage.
Even if you stick with apps like Telegram or Wire (my choice), you have to have in mind that your phone might have a keylogger on (looking at Xiomi and Huawei).
Well there’s the rub isn’t it. I don’t think most people would consciously decide to rat out their friends secrets for $20 - or indeed for any price. But somehow, it’s happening.