Why is your data worth so much?

Behind every free online service, there’s a price being paid. Learn why your digital footprint is so valuable, and why you might be the product.

22 Jul 2025

Your digital footprint is more valuable than you think. It’s not just a trail of data left behind by your online activity – it’s a goldmine of sensitive data. In this episode of Unlocked 403, Becks sits down with ESET Global Security Advisor Jake Moore to discuss what it truly means when they say “if it’s free, you are the product” – and the implications for your privacy and security.

Their conversation pulls back the curtain on how social media, apps, and websites gobble up, analyze, and use your personal information, as well as why this relentless data gathering may pose hidden risks, especially for children.

They also go on to discuss everything from the nuances of first- versus third-party data collection, a principle called data minimization, the power of metadata, all the way to the intricacies of apps’ privacy settings. Speaking of which, Jake shares his own actionable tips for navigating these settings and for keeping yourself safer and more private online in a world where your personal information is a hot commodity.