I found it shocking that certain apps such as weather apps and local news apps are able to tract the user if the user turns on the location service within that app. What was more shocking that the apps were able to see the user's routine and where exactly she went and who she met with. According to the New York Times Article "Your Apps Know Where You Were Last Night, and They’re Not Keeping It Secret", the companies sell, use or analyze the data to cater to advertisers, retail outlets and even hedge funds seeking insights into consumer behavior. When an app asks if I want to turn on my location services I quickly say no because I always had a feeling that they were taking all of my personal information and selling it to third parties. I think the lesson "The Cost of Free" means to me that even though something is free that doesn't mean that there are other things in play such as companies collecting your own personal data and this is what I will explain to my family members as well.
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