Dutch Student Sells All of His Personal Data for 350 Euros

A Dutch student has taken the bold decision to sell all his data at auction. It's a decision that should make us think about the future of our own information.

In an auction on April 12, Shawn Buckles sold his complete "data soul" — his location records, his medical records, his personal calendar, the content of his emails and all the information from his social media communications. He sold his online conversations, his consumer preferences and his Internet browsing history. The lot. And for his soul he received €350.

Like Buckles, we all generate vast amounts of data on a daily basis and it is used by various companies for various purposes, such as to tailor online advertising. People don't generally understand the value of their data, which is partly what Buckles was commenting on when he sold his. Read more...