The people making money from just surfing the internet

Image source, Getty Images

Each of us can use the details of what we look at online.

The tracked data helps the likes of Google and Facebook make billions and billions of dollars a year in advertising revenue, as they use the information to target adverts at us.

If you are looking to buy a new pair of jeans online, you should be able to see the ads for them on your computer screen. This has happened to us when we were thinking of purchasing something.

It's unnerving that we are being tracked online. According to a recent study, the average European has data about his or her internet usage shared 372 times per day. This is close to doubling for US surfers.

If you could make money from sharing your data, what would it be like?

Surf, a Canadian tech firm, launched a browser extension of the same name last year. People who surf the internet get a reward.

Image source, Surf

It sells your data directly to retail brands in the US and Canada, and is still in the early stages of development. Surf will give you points that can be used to redeem shop gift cards and discounts.

Foot Locker, The Body Shop, Crocs, and Dyson are among the firms that have signed up.

You don't have to give your name when you sign up because the data is anonymous. You are not required to give your age, gender and approximate address.

The idea is that Surf's data can be used by brands to find out what the most popular websites are in Los Angeles. They can then target their ads.

Surf hasn't released details of how much people can earn, but it has enabled users to collectively earn more than one million dollars.

Surf can be used to limit what data people share.

A student at York University in Toronto, Canada, who uses Surf, says that the extension has given her control over her online data.

Image source, Aminah Al-Noor

The 21-year-old says that you can choose what to give. Sometimes I forget that I have it on, and a week later I will check, and my points keep going up."

The 21-year-old says that all tech companies will collect our information, but the point is to make our experiences using the technology better.

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Surf wants to be the frequent flyer rewards of internet browsing, according to its chief executive.

We give users the ability to control their data as well, since we have been clear with them on what we share and don't share.

If you are upfront with people and let them know you are sharing data with brands, they will be more comfortable with it.

Surf is part of a growing movement that is giving people more control over their data.

Waverly is a Canadian start-up that allows people to build their own news feeds instead of relying on Apple News' tracker.

Waverly uses artificial intelligence to find articles it thinks you'd like to read. Philippe Beaudoin is the founder of the firm that is based in Montreal.

Image source, Philippe Beaudoin

Users of the app can change their preferences on a regular basis.

Users have to make a bit of effort in order to be freed from being trapped by advertisements, according to Mr Beaudoin.

He says that tech shouldn't shy from asking users to do work for it.

Our artificial intelligence reads thousands of articles a day and puts them in an index for users.

Blur and Delete Me are two apps that allow users to increase their privacy. Passwords and payment details can't be tracked and personal information can't be removed from search engines.

Mr Shavell believes that the internet should be private.

An associate professor at Oxford University's Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence says that tech firms need to be incentives to develop business models that don't depend on the exploitation of personal data.

Image source, Carissa Veliz

She says that it's worrisome that most of the algorithms that are ruling our lives are being produced by private companies without any kind of supervision or guidance to make sure they are supportive of our public goods and values.

I don't think transparency is a panacea, but policymakers should have access to the algorithms.

"That's why we're collaborating with regulators and the web community to create technologies that will protect people's privacy online while helping keep online content and services free for all."

"Later this year, we will launch My Ad Center, which expands our privacy controls to give people more control over the information used to show them ads."