By Michael Leon
It's problematic that our data is part of a $260 billion (USD) industry.
They won't give us a cut since we're voluntarily giving away our personal information for free.
We continue skipping pages of the user agreement and clicking "I agree" for convenience so we can immediately use a company's services.
And what do we get in return?
Big tech companies are cyberstalking us.
They collect and sell our data to various companies and brokers to give us targeted ads and personalized recommendations.
That's not even the worse part.
They're even collecting data about our health and selling it to hospitals, which is supposed to be confidential and also illegal.
Data about our health is the one thing we can't change about ourselves.
It's worth at least 10 times more than our social security numbers by cybercriminals. It's complete identity theft.
While I can't make all your online data yours again, I can help you get a portion of your cut from the existing data with the options to sell it or not.
LETS GET STARTED!
[Web3] (KYC required)
Permission.io is a provider of permission advertising for eCommerce.
Their purpose is to reward you for your data and from third-party e-commerce platforms. It uses the Polygon Blockchain to distribute its cryptocurrency, ASK.
And believe this.
Every time you go online, you'll get rewarded with ASK coins in exchange for your valuable data with their Chrome extension.
By using Permission, you're helping end the current corrupt advertising model and taking back your time and personal data.
So you'll like that engaging with Permission and getting rewarded causes Big Tech to lose its power over you.
If you feel concerned about your data, you'll love that Permission is transparent with how they operate.
So let's sign up with Permission!
Pros:
Available worldwide (except for a list of countries that are banned from using Permission.io which is listed in their Terms of Use)
Extremely transparent in what they do with our data and how they use it according to their Privacy Policy
Since Permission is on the Polygon blockchain, you can expect that your personal data is encrypted and secure
Has a 22% staking (interest rate) APY through Bitrue (crypto exchange) which is significantly better than what current US banks offer
Total coin supply: 100 billion
Current circulation: 5+ billion
Cons:
One account per user only
Requires KYC (Know Your Customer) which involves uploading personal identification of yourself such as driver's license or passport
The minimum withdrawal is 25,000 ASK
The minimum threshold might be lowered as the price of ASK increases
Customer support needs a bit more improvement
Based on my experience, they only read the last recent conversation sent to their ticket which they may seem to think is enough
But they really need to read the full conversation to fully understand the context so problems would be resolved quickly and interactions may or may not become worse
Other Notes:
ASK is redeemable for Permission apparel, gift cards, or exchanging it for other cryptocurrencies
Permission has partnered with Swash to help innovate and revolutionize the Web3 space for data ownership, control, and monetization
Thomas Shin, former Facebook (Meta) Executive, has been appointed as the new CEO in June 2022
Unknown when rewards will be placed back again as they have been temporarily removed in place of a new rewards system according to Reddit
Listed on Gate.io, a strong indication that the project isn't dead
Very active on Reddit
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(Available for Windows and MacOS [US only], Android (available internationally in countries where PayPal is supported)
Cocoon MDR Browser is built on Chromium, an open-sourced, bare-bones version of Google Chrome, without it taking so much memory.
You'll love that this browser is a legitimate source for getting paid for personal data.
I believe you will get value for your data and anonymity as you get paid.
If you're looking at something inappropriate (18+), you won't have to worry about it. Cocoon anonymizes all that data, so you're all set to browse safely!
So stop browsing the internet when Big Tech companies are tracking you everywhere with personalized ads. Start using Cocoon MDR Browser instead!
Pros:
Built-in antivirus using patent-pending, advanced isolation technology
Uses 2048-bit encrypted servers so the data you create in this browser doesn't trace back to you while being secure
Your personal identity is masked by their servers: IP Address, cookies, browser type, etc.
Using this browser will automatically tell websites you are located in the US regardless of which country you are in (except China due to their US proxy servers
International users can get paid for using Cocoon's mobile app and get properly compensated for your geolocation
Not a memory (RAM) eater like Google Chrome
Cons:
Currently using a previous build of Chromium instead of an up-to-date version
Some Chrome extensions will not be compatible
Some websites will have issues with functionality such as videos due to lack of certain plugins that aren't included in Cocoon
Using a VPN will disable your earnings until you disable your VPN
Withdrawal to PayPal is subject to a 3% fee regardless of using the automatic 3-month withdrawal or not despite their claim of free automatic withdrawals
Earnings have declined within a year during 2020.
~6000 page views used to give out approximately $25 (see picture below)
Now it costs around $10 for 150000+ page views in 2021
Possible for you to get flagged for unusual activity for any unknown reason or no reason at all and have your earnings suspended (like I did while using it normally)
For a more decentralized option, I highly recommend scrolling down to the Swash App
(US region and iOS only)
If you're not paying for the product, you are the product.
Delphia is an online fiduciary investment advisor that provides a way to reward you for the data you give to companies every day.
They use AI to analyze data and look for trends in the population that can inform their quantitative trading strategies.
It looks for your best interests in getting the most returns out of your data and money compared to the flaws of a human being.
Similar to the spare change investment service Acorns, you can choose a conservative, balanced, or aggressive portfolio.
So you can feel comfortable knowing it mixes a combination of equity and fixed-income investments suitable for you.
It has a team of data scientists, engineers, academics, and researchers that look for your best financial interests in mind.
And you can believe your data is encrypted in a highly secure data center if you're worried about security.
The best thing about this is that you don't need any money to start.
All you need is basic information about yourself to best fit your personalized investment strategy.
It turns your data into the best investment portfolio you'll have.
And if you like winning big money, you'd better start inviting your friends to try out this app.
It's time to take back proper control of your data on your phone.
Pros:
Your data pays for the fees and costs. If not, then you could pay $10 per month instead (though I wouldn't recommend that)
Accepts various data sources on your phone such as data usage on your apps
and banking data. More may possibly be added in the future.You will have complete control over which data sources you link to Delphia
You can choose to invest all data sources, only a few, or none at all and invest their money instead. These selections can be modified at any time.
Delphia will never sell or share any of your data with third parties
Insured by SIPC which covers up to $500,000 in securities for each type of account you hold with Delphia and up to $250,000 in cash.
Above and beyond this, Apex has secured excess SIPC insurance that provides an additional $150 million of coverage across all its clients.
Registered with the SEC
You get to win some money every week
They're quite active on their Twitter account and customer support is very responsive to their emails to the point where they treat you like you're human
Cons:
Still an early start-up so development has been slow
The number of third-party integrations with personal finance services such as Mint.com are limited at the moment
Expected returns are out of their control for an AI, especially for a human since no human mind can do this
You may encounter ancillary account fees
The Review:
Delphia has a pretty big vision of being able to give away money to every single user of this app and reinvesting that money in a portfolio powered by AI to make the decisions for you.
Although I haven't invested much money into their app yet, they've finally released a way to earn from our data in the form of cryptocurrency after 3 long years
They're retiring the $10 million dollars sweepstakes in favor of the new PHI rewards program for your data connections in the app.
For questions about Delphia such as how they make their money, you can check their FAQs by clicking here.
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(Available for any country that supports PayPal)
Tartle is the world's first personal data marketplace where anybody can buy or sell their data anonymously.
The idea of Tartle is simple.
You add information anonymously on specific data packets, such as any existing health conditions or surgeries you had, and wait until a buyer shows up.
Here's the fascinating part.
The marketplace acts like eBay.
The buyers bid their price for your data, and you can say yes or no to their offer.
If you don't like the price offered for a data packet, let's say no and wait for someone else.
If it seems like a great price, let's sell that data packet!
With military-grade encrypted servers powered by NordVPN, you can believe that your data is safe.
If you feel worried about someone looking at your data without permission, you always have complete control over it. You can delete it whenever you want.
Tartle is one of the best marketplaces to sell your data, which continues to grow an international audience.
So let's create an account today and join other people to help give personal data more value to buyers!
Pros:
Your account name is in a series of numbers and letters in the system so there's no way to identify you
Since you're anonymously selling your data, the terms of service on the website is geared significantly towards the buyers of your data which have more restrictions on them while encrypting your data until the buyer finalizes their purchase
Available in 222+ different countries
Open to suggestions for data packets not listed yet
Open to suggestions or constructive criticisms on their social media accounts
Accessible on any browser, device, or OS systems such as Windows, Mac, or Linux
You can set it and forget it with the autosell feature to have it sold automatically to a bidder, making it an easy source for passive income 24/7 even as you sleep
Cons:
Still an early start-up so a lot of things are in development
You would have to update your data over time if you want to generate more value for your data
Currently no smartphone app of Tartle yet
Their current methods on marketing are preventing them from growing faster
Other Notes:
You have the option of filling out data packets that are identified, which include personal information such as your name, address, email, and/or phone number, or data packets that are deidentified, or both
New data packets or data packet updates are released about a weekly basis, sometimes more frequently
There are data packets you won't be able to fill out such as topics on coding if you don't have any experience in that area
It would be better to turn on autosell for a data packet, in my opinion, instead of waiting for someone to bid at a higher price if you value your time
Anyone above the age of 13 can use Tartle. If they are under the age of 13, they would need their parent's or guardian's permission
PayPal handles your withdrawal transactions, not Tartle. If you want to speed up the transaction, you have to contact them.
The Review:
In the making and process for over 5 years, Tartle is truly something providing us with something that is groundbreaking.
And it is so groundbreaking that there is actually trouble with development since the concept of providing people proper money for their data is still very new, especially if it's something that completely provides you anonymity.
That is hard and I truly applaud the team for being able to get this far.
But so far, growth has been a bit slow.
Recently, they've changed their payments from Bitcoin to TARTLEcoin then to PayPal cash now since it seems that TARTLEcoin wasn't popular enough. They may add more options while bringing back the previous ones once more users sign up.
They've also added more integrations such as Strava and Quickbooks along with the usual social media accounts that you can connect and immediately get paid to your PayPal account.
There are also weird questions that are asked by businesses such as UFO sightings. Like.. what??
A business that asks for this kind of data is most likely operated by aliens themselves seeking their own kind. /s
And due to their progress, they have shown me that there is huge potential from them in the future and I am excited to see what else they have in store.
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(Available on Windows, MacOS, Linux [as Swarmbytes], and Android)
Honeygain is one of the easiest passive income sources by providing a part of your internet connection data.
The concept is simple.
Open up the application on your computer and/or Android phone/tablet and let it run in the background while you do other tasks.
If you're wondering how the data collected from your device is used, Honeygain uses it for:
Gathering web statistics
Price comparisons
Verified business processes
And you can believe Honeygain encrypts your internet connection since they value your privacy for supporting businesses.
And if you have a fast internet connection, you'll earn even more.
So get ready to start streaming on your Netflix account cause you'll like to see that money pouring into your Honeygain account.
If you feel okay with getting more modest earnings, that's fine too. My internet speeds are okay-ish, so I'm not earning as much as other people, but at least I'm earning something.
But regardless of your internet speeds, you should start using Honeygain now.
Pros:
Requires a minimal amount of data: your e-mail, IP address, and payout method.
You can earn up 10,000 points, the equivalent of $10 USD, everyday through their lucky pot game. The timer resets at 0 UTC or 12:00 AM GMT everyday so be sure to check your dashboard.
No limits to where you are. It works worldwide.
Using data from your mobile network may help you earn faster
10% commission for each person you refer
The connection is private and encrypted
Cons:
Only one device (used to be two) can use Honeygain per household at a time (2 if you're using mobile data)
VPN usage not allowed and your account may possibly get banned for it though there are options for whitelisting your VPN
Unknown when content delivery will be available next time or which countries it will be available to in the future
Withdrawal is 20,000 points or $20 USD which can take a while for some people
Prone to the 3% fee for withdrawal through PayPal
Other Notes:
Get paid either in PayPal or in Bitcoin if PayPal doesn't support your country
You have the (Web3) option to earn in Jump Token ($JMPT) instead which allows you to earn 50% while paying out within seconds with low transaction fees compared to PayPal
Pro: There is no mining involved and uses a "Proof-of-Task" consensus instead
I just made that consensus up since the white paper isn't very clear about what consensus it uses other than the fact that it's task-oriented
Con: Only available via PancakeSwap at the moment
For US residents, please refer to this guide to help with the payout method by clicking here
For finding a wallet that supports the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) network to store your Jump Tokens, please click here
For people new to this, NEVER give out your seed phrase or private keys to anyone, even if it sounds like a good deal to get an exponential amount of funds or someone acting as "online support"
I consider this to be the Nigerian Prince method of crypto but without the begging while being less blatant about their intentions
Location
Internet speed
Internet traffic
Various internet problems due to my terrible ISP
Every person's experience will be different, and it is hard to tell whether you're in a good location for optimized earning.
But regardless, I do look forward to opening the lucky pot on Honeygain every day.
I like being surprised about getting a big prize, but I'm not sure if this is something relatable to you.
If you own multiple houses, I recommend setting up 2 additional devices that don't need to be high-powered electricity consumers for each home.
An eco-friendly laptop or an old laptop works well as a normal one.
But overall, I think Honeygain is an excellent software for earning passive income through sharing minimal data on our devices, especially if we're helping businesses anonymously.
I want to get my $5 USD / 5000 points starting gift!
For questions about Honeygain, you can check their FAQs by clicking here.
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(Available on Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Docker)
Pawns.app is exactly like Honeygain, except the amount you get paid per GB is different.
You can run as many devices as you want as long as the residential IP address is different for each one of them
No limits to where you are. It works worldwide.
Using data from your mobile network may help you earn faster
10% commission for each person you refer
The connection is private and encrypted
Cons:
Only one device running per residential IP address (household) at a time
Cannot be used with VPN
3% processing fee when withdrawing to PayPal
Lacking a bit of transparency since they never sent an email about the minimum payout threshold changing from 25 cents to $5 USD
Other Notes:
You earn $0.20 USD per 1GB shared
You will have to share 20 GB worth of bandwidth to reach $5 for the first time if you use the link below to sign up otherwise, you'll have to share 25 GB
The minimum payout changed from $1 USD to $0.25 to $5
Redeem either in PayPal, Prepaid Virtual VISA Cards, or Bitcoin
Added ability to take surveys
The legal age for using this depends on the country you live in. If you are underage, you might need to get your parent’s or guardian’s permission to use this.
You need to check to see if there are any updates from time to time since the program doesn't automatically update
The Review:
Pawns.app has fewer features than Honeygain.
I'm questioning their reasons for changing the minimum payouts from $1 USD to $0.25 to $5, though.
"Just why??" is my response since I don't have excellent internet speeds to share more unused bandwidth.
Other than that, you'll have to check from time to time to see if there's a newer version on their website.
I used a version where it would sometimes crash for almost a year since they lack a feature for checking updates. It still isn't implemented yet, so that part is a hassle.
They didn't even inform me about rebranding from IPRoyal Pawns to Pawns.app. So their marketing and communication needs to be improved.
For questions about Pawns.app, you can check their FAQs by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page.
And if you have even more questions about them, you can check their blog by clicking here.
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(Available for any country that supports PayPal, downloadable on Windows, MacOS, and Linux)
Packetstream is also like Honeygain and Pawns.app but leans heavily towards privacy as an alternative for a VPN service.
Pros:
You can run as many computers as you want, even on the same network
Con: There is a chance of diminishing returns the more computers you connect with PacketStream
Works for a majority of countries
3% commission for each person you refer (currently 20% for a limited time)
Connection is definitely private and encrypted
Cons:
Subject to a 3% processing fee when withdrawing to PayPal
Unavailable for you if PayPal isn't used in your country
Cannot be used with VPN even though the FAQs don't mention it
Other Notes:
You earn $0.10 USD for each GB you share
Minimum payout is $5 USD
You'll have to share a total of 50 GB worth of bandwidth in order for you to withdraw
The Review:
Other than market research used by Honeygain and Pawns.app for businesses, PacketStream can be used for those who are willing to pay for an alternative VPN service or proxy networks.
They won't have to go through the hassle of any blocked or banned web services or encountering multiple Captcha.
Since this service is explicitly focused on privacy, your information is kept safe and secure guaranteed.
Each 100 MB you contribute will give you $0.01 USD.
For questions about PacketStream, you can check their FAQs by clicking here.
And if you have even more questions about them, you can check their blog by clicking here.
(US region only, available on iOS and Android)
ATM.com, or Ant Transaction Machine, is a mobile app that lets you create a ledger account and earn money, which pairs the data you've shared with partnered companies you may be interested in.
All you need is your name, address, and contact information.
A data vault keeps your personal information safe in the app and is only used to pair you with offers through Data Dating®. You can either accept or decline offers from these companies. It's that simple.
You can believe that companies won't receive any data you've shared with ATM.
So if you feel you'll receive shady ads showing up in your physical mail after accepting many offers, don't worry about it.
You'll love that there aren't any because your data won't reach data brokers.
And if you like to rave to people about how this app is awesome for giving you easy money in 10 seconds, you are more than welcome to do that.
So take less than a minute of your time every day to answer questions for your data vault.
Sign up for the offers you're interested in to earn even more money.
Pros:
Easy source for active and passive income
You can see which companies are interested in your data which also includes NordVPN and Ryan Reynold's Mint Mobile company for some reason
You are free to choose which companies can have your data
Data becomes more valuable as more users sign up and share their data as a group
Uses Plaid for linking with your bank
Companies that are interested in your data are non-invasive through ATM.com's Data Messenger tab
They do not have access to it at all and you are left with an inbox of their ads that you may be interested in
None of your data is being sold to data brokers since it never leaves your data vault in the app
You can get rewarded for location-based offers near you
Cons:
The minimum withdrawal is at least $20 which is subtracted from your balance
It's designed to protect from fraud and chargebacks
Not enough information about how safe our data is kept in terms of encryption
Only mentions that it is safe and secure. Technically, any company can say that which is generic.
A bit of misleading information on their website about mentioning the digital footprint you leave behind on websites when they can't provide a solution about it on their app
May be subject to taxes according to their Terms of Service
The app can only be associated with 3 bank accounts and one bank account at a time
Other Notes:
You have the option to use the money you earn to invest in stocks as fractional shares and eventually, core (ETFs) as well
Reduced the amount of money earned from brand matching to 1 to 2 cents
The Review:
I think ATM.com is an okay app for sharing your data.
The app has been changing how much you can earn for each offer accepted.
Initially, people could earn $0.10 to $1 per brand match. It soon changed to 1-2 cents, and now, 5 cents per brand match.
I can assume that the business model ATM.com used was unsustainable since they were losing money and lowered the amount you earned until more people signed up.
Since the offers allow you to earn more if you sign up for them, it balances things out.
I have not signed up for a single product or service ever since I started using the app in February 2021 cause my time is valuable. But this is how much I could earn if I signed up for all the offers.
I thought at first that the home address I shared would be sold to data brokers, so I rejected every offer that required me to do this.
That's not the case once I took a close look at the website and then looked at how the offer was generated: "Data Used for Brand Match [which was shown based on my name, address, and contact information I've already provided]."
I regret rejecting every offer now...
For banking purposes, your browser needs to be equipped with at least 128-bit security encryption, according to their website.
So you don't want to use it on an outdated OS like Windows 7.
But overall, it's easy money.
My only complaint is the $20 minimum withdrawal.
That will be fixed as soon as more people sign up for the app.
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(Not available on iOS and Android or anywhere at the moment)
BIGtoken is a mobile app that lets you reclaim the value of your data through a secure platform.
By enabling you to control what data is shared, who can buy it, and how it's used, you're letting companies know that your data is more valuable than they think.
So if you feel you don't like getting tracked by companies online, this app can at least give you the ability to get paid for their actions in the background.
And I do believe that this app will change the way how companies can access your data: by explicitly requesting your permission.
Don't like the ability to earn money alone?
Well, you can have the ability to join or create a team where you complete actions within a certain amount of time and get rewarded even more, which is awesome!
So let's start downloading the app, sign up, and get your money deposited quickly today by linking your bank account, PayPal, or Coins.ph account.
Pros:
Surveys typically take 2-30 seconds each
Each survey has a follow-up to a previous survey completed so the number of surveys you get feels limitless each week
Extremely fast to get to 1500 tokens or approximately $15.00 USD which personally took me less than a week
Advertisers will never know your name or contact information
Ability to create teams where you can earn more points for doing actions together
You get to decide who you sell your data to
Data is stored using a two-level encryption method for all account information and personal data points
No fees when withdrawing to your PayPal account
Points can be redeemed for cryptocurrency in the future
Cons:
Required to create an account and use the email associated with it to be able to contact and ask customer support any questions you have
Data currently can't be monetized at this time since it is currently in the private phase at the moment so you would have to wait for a little longer
You would have to enable tracking data (and Apple Advertising) to earn your share of the money
Data collected and sold may include IP addresses or other online identifiers when interacting with an application or advertising
Using a VPN or VoIP is not allowed
Users outside of the US and Puerto Rico can only redeem their points for tickets to enter big cash prizes as Raffles
Limited options of gift cards for users in the US and Puerto Rico
Customer support won't be honest with themselves if they are unable to answer certain questions you ask and avoid answering anything about it
This decreases the transparency that they have with people
Other Notes:
You can only withdraw $15 at a time
If you don't complete certain questions within a period of time, they will disappear for good and you'll lose out on some earnings.
The app is currently undergoing a major update which started in February 2022 includes the ability to:
Receive payments in crypto
Convert the crypto in your wallet to fiat money
Hold NFTs in the app
Since the topic of cryptocurrencies & NFTs can be very controversial, I've created an infographic in a separate post which can be found at the very end to clear up a lot of the misinformation you most likely have heard and possibly strongly believe in which you take a good look by clicking here.
Payment proof from BigToken for $15 USD withdrawal to PayPal. There weren't any fees for receiving it as well.
The Review:
First, I just wanted to say I like how straightforward the majority of these 1-4 question surveys are while rarely getting any surveys that require you to type.
My only complaint is that I had to use a contact form on their website with an alias email I registered for them to reply to my questions and not any other email I use.
They were questions about their security in general and bugs and features they were missing.
And even if they did reply, they avoid answering any questions if they don't know the answers to them.
This decreases their transparency, in my opinion, since they're not being honest with us, which reduces my trust in BIGtoken.
For countries outside the US and Puerto Rico, it's terrible you can only redeem your points for tickets to a cash prize raffle since you aren't guaranteed to win anything.
But other than that, this app does show potential since cryptocurrency is an option for redemption in the future.
So there are no limits on who can use it (except for people in countries that banned cryptocurrency usage).
You could try bothering them and sending them a message on their website but I doubt you'll get a reply back.
There's supposed to be a couple links down here but I removed them until the app goes back up again.
For questions about BIGtoken, you can check their FAQs by clicking here.
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(US region, iOS and Android)
Cashew is a small start-up company created around the end of 2020 to help you properly monetize your personal data.
Being tired of big tech companies exploiting our data ever since they emerged into existence, Cashew aims to break that process and set themselves as an example that we can value and trust.
So you'll feel great to hear that personal data is kept safe and stripped from any personal information that would identify you.
The process on the app is so simple. You'll like that you only need to spend a few minutes on the app every few days.
All you need is your phone number to sign up and you can get started right away.
Pros:
Customer support is very responsive and friendly since they actually feel like human beings who understand you
Messages from you are automatically deleted by default from their servers everyday according to their Privacy Policy
Your information is protected and does not contain any personal identifiers when shared with third parties
You earn a small amount of money each day as passive income
You have the option to cash out to Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal without any withdrawal fees
Cons:
None so far
Other Notes:
Use a VoIP phone service if signing up with a phone number to avoid any chances of getting SIM swapped
The minimum withdrawal threshold changed from $5.00 to $10.00 and back to $5.00 due to popular demand
You have the opportunity to earn more through partner surveys (which I'm not a fan of)
Option to create or join a club where you complete surveys as a group to increase your earning multiplier up to 10x and the bonus pool will be split at the end of each week based on individual contributions
Added daily, weekly, monthly, and lifetime missions where you have the opportunity to earn tickets and cash
The missions with just cash involve completing certain surveys
You can redeem tickets for leveling up and earning cash
Added USDC crypto payments for withdrawal
The Review:
Based on the updates they've made to their app, Cashew turned into a generic app where you have to take surveys to earn money instead of generating money from your data.
So my opinion of them has temporarily lowered for a significant reason (check the email below).
I previously asked them questions when they launched pretty early, and here is what they said and clarified to me:
Cashew does not share any personally identifiable information with any third parties whatsoever.
Once Cashew aggregates enough data to be useful, they plan on first removing all identifiable information from the data, then aggregating the data into useful trends/analysis as requested by third-party partners.
Payment proof from Cashew to PayPal which is definitely legit. And no fees for receiving it also.
The future focus of this app will include (based on my past experiences):
Submitting the amount of time you spend on apps by taking screenshots in the battery section of your phone
The first time you submit your screenshots, you will probably earn $1
After that, it's variable each week plus an additional 10 to 70 cents depending if you spend 10 minutes on the app or at least an hour
Uploading credit card and bank statements
10 cents for each upload in my experience
Earning a tiny bit of passive income everyday for your data
Adding the ability to upload data on your health
Initially, the app launched while being unable to get any profits and had to pay people out of their own pocket for their data.
I do applaud them for their honesty and dedication to helping people.
Since they removed most of the features for monetizing your data and focused on surveys (as a way to help developers make money, I asked them if they were ever going to bring back the features to monetize people's data again.
This is the response I got back:
Overall, I would say Cashew is one of the only services that provide exceptional customer support.
They value your thoughts and opinions, which are filled with empathy and are necessary for a company to grow.
As for progress with the app, I'd say check it from time to time.
For withdrawing to PayPal, you would need to create a username for paypal.me.
I want to get $1 USD after signing up and completing my profile!
For questions about Cashew, you can check their FAQs by clicking here.
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(Available on iOS and Android, US and Canada only [for now])
You can earn through 2 categories: profile rewards and device rewards, which reward you 50 points per week.
And if you feel impatient about earning points every week, you also have the option to take Reklaim surveys.
They take a few seconds to complete a few questions. It's simple as that.
You'll love how it feels painless to complete since the questions are straightforward.
Reklaim’s mission is changing how these big tech companies process and transact our data using end-to-end encryption, anonymization, aggregate data, and other methods.
So I believe we should get rewarded for using these methods as well.
If you don't like how buyers of your data know your personal identity, you'll like that your account uses a pseudonymized ID.
There won't be a way for the buyer to know who you are in real life.
So let's sign up for an account that earns you passive data dividends every week.
Pros:
It's a mobile app that you can easily set up and forget about it for a month
Basic information for profile rewards is zip code and gender which is very minimal
Only the name of the apps you installed is shared and not the usage
Reklaim polls take 3 to 15 seconds to finish and you get rewarded between 1 to 20 points
You can earn up to 50 points weekly which is equivalent to $0.50 USD
The app allows you to see who's buying and selling your data and where your data has been breached
The browser extension allows you to know if a website you're on had a data breach in the past
Their referral program lets you earn 100 points for each person (up to 5 people) who successfully signs up with your referral link (at least until terms and conditions change)
Includes a feature for cashback up to 30% at 30,000+ retailers with exclusive access to discounts while getting paid through PayPal
Cons:
Requires 1000 points for redemption
Used to give out PayPal gift cards but now gives out Visa e-gift cards instead along with others such as for stores and restaurants (the cashback feature is the exception)
Redemption rewards for each country will vary
Using a VPN is not allowed within the app unless you use their VPN
Location data only works if the app is open
Only available on Android devices
If your account has not been active in rewarding or redeeming for 180 days or more, it will automatically close
You would have to contact Reklaim to reactivate your account
They might have trouble with their marketing and making our data more valuable when more users sign up since they only have an active Facebook page
Customer support is terrible
They didn't directly answer my question with my first interaction with them, so the interaction didn't feel human to me
They gave off a rude feeling with me on my second interaction for using an alias email address registered to my account designed to protect my online privacy
Other Notes:
Removed surveys as a way for earning points (most likely due to their VPN disqualifying people from them)
Added features to Reklaim Privacy, you can either pay for a Lite subscription ($1.99 /mo or $19.99 /yr) or a Pro subscription ($3.99 /mo or $39.99 /yr) [in USD] which includes:
Data breach monitoring email addresses/phone numbers
With a Lite subscription, you get to monitor up to 2 email addresses/phone numbers.
With a Pro subscription, you get to monitor up to 5 email addresses/phone numbers.
VPN with unlimited data (Pro subscription only)
Withdrawing your points to cryptocurrency will require you to pay network (gas) fees when sending to a wallet
The only exception is Coinbase where there will be no fees
The Review:
Reklaim is a decent app, in my opinion, now that they added cryptocurrency as a redemption option (best to redeem ONLY when there is a crypto crash).
My only criticism is the limit of 50 points per week and the removal of PayPal as a reward, except for the cashback extension.
Other than that, I like how transparent they are with which data is exactly collected in their Privacy Policy.
In the past, I've seen that the only way for you to earn is through surveys which take at least 5 minutes to complete, and some can take 30 minutes which was not efficient our time.
But now, I'm glad they changed surveys to polls and added a passive earning method for redeeming rewards.
They may or may not have plans on adding more cryptocurrencies and adding a Proof-of-Stake consensus, according to a poll I took from Reklaim long ago.
Since they've added the ability to send Bitcoin or Ethereum to any wallet address, the only caveat is that Coinbase is the only service where you can claim your crypto without any fees.
Unfortunately, I can't comment on how good their VPN is since I don't know how well it works until there are more reports on it.
I did redeem all my points for Ethereum once there was a crypto crash, but it took about 1-2 weeks for the withdrawal to go through Coinbase.
But after some updates on their system, they suspended my account for using an alias email address, which isn't mentioned in their terms of service as prohibited.
The customer support felt very rude to me for not addressing all my concerns while not properly closing off their emails (a huge red flag for growing their service).
They have the same level of transparency as Soli.xyz: not being completely transparent about what will get your account suspended and lacking emotional intelligence.
Overall, Reklaim is still a legitimate service that pays you for your data but struggles to grow big by failing to interact and directly addressing concerned customers while giving off a rude manner when you talk with them.
Plus, they're hypocrites since they claim to care about your online data and privacy but won't allow you to use an alias email address if Reklaim gets hacked.
Along with it, your personal data is leaked and sold onto the dark web, especially when they have a data breach monitoring feature.
For questions about Reklaim, you can check their FAQs by clicking here.
If you don't have a Coinbase account yet, you can sign up by clicking here. After signing up, if you buy or sell $100 USD or more in crypto within 180 days, we'll both receive $10 in free Bitcoin.
Decentralized Services
Using decentralized services over centralized services offers multiple advantages in regards to your data. These can include:
No central authority
This means no one can terminate your account
The ability to create multiple accounts
No one owns your data, yet everyone owns it anonymously without any existence of personal identifiers in the network
Highly secure
Less prone to hacks and data leaks
You own the private keys to your account as if you own a bank and no one has access to it unless they are able to get a hold of your keys somehow such as through a phishing attack
The exception to this is if there's a referral link attached to it. Then you can get banned from accessing your wallet(s) for suspicious activity.
But there are very few disadvantages to using it in relevance to your case. These include:
Requiring to remember your private keys which include a 12-word seed phrase that you will need to write down on a piece of paper which needs to kept safe or using a password manager
Losing your keys means losing your money for good just like many people who lost their Bitcoin for this very reason
I will be going through 3 of these decentralized services. These include:
Swash App
GeoCash
Jelly
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[Web3] (Available on a variety of browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, etc.)
Swash App is a browser extension that earns you money in cryptocurrency, DATA coins, for your data as you surf the web as a source of passive income.
It uses open-source technology built by Streamr, designed to be trustworthy and transparent with its decentralization and end-to-end encrypted infrastructure.
So you can feel great about how transparent Swash is with how they operate.
And you can believe Swash is not interested in collecting personal information other than your age, gender, and range of income, so you won't have to worry about sensitive information leaking.
So you don't have to worry about sensitive information leaking. Plus, Firefox and Google would've flagged this extension for being malicious by now.
Imagine how many adult sites you can go on while getting rewarded anonymously for using this extension.
The thought of it is insane! (except if you're at work then don't do this)
So download this extension and get paid for browsing the web!
Pros:
Easy source of passive income
Completely transparent with what data is collected from you, how it's used, and how your anonymity can be adjusted via their Privacy Policy
Works with VPN
Value of $SWASH increases as you spread awareness and get more people to join Swash where everybody's data gets pooled together where data buyers can see trends
Easy to backup your wallet by exporting out a certain file on your computer (and making sure that your PC doesn't get hacked or losing the file for good)
Cons:
The current rate of earning can be slow due to the current number of users using Swash at the moment
Warning: You can get banned from your wallets if you try to game the system, such as creating multiple wallets through the same referral link, multiple IP address, etc.
Just stick with one wallet until the day you forget your backup file or private keys
The Review:
I really like the idea of getting paid for browsing almost absolutely everything on the web.
It's nice and painless.
You can just easily ignore it in the background.
Other than that, it's an awesome extension for everyday use whether you're browsing for personal use or work purposes.
For questions about Swash App, you can check their FAQs by clicking here.
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GeoCash
[Web3] (Available on iOS and Android)
GeoCash is an app that uses a decentralized peer-to-peer big data sharing ecosystem as part of GeoDB.
By participating in their ecosystem, GeoDB returns monetary value by rewarding you with GEO Tokens.
Instead of mining on your PC, this app helps you earn using data on your phone, such as locations, battery levels, and device information, without personal identification attached to it.
The data gets put into a decentralized network instead of being part of a $260 billion big data industry.
Not only is GeoDB GDPR compliant and its blockchain highly secure and private, but you'll love that your shared data is now compensated as it should be.
I believe this app is a massive step towards replacing the current centralized data marketplace with partners such as Chainlink and Ocean Protocol.
So if you want compensation for an insane amount of apps installed on your phone, GeoCash can do that for you.
So let's install this app and make this world a better place by helping other people get compensated for their data.
Pros:
Ability to make as many wallets as you want
You can earn a lot more than others if you tend to travel a lot
Shares data on locations, battery levels, device information, telephony signals detected, and the list of applications installed on your device
Max supply capped at 350 billion tokens
At least 7 million tokens in circulation
Cons:
Listed only on a few exchanges
Unknown approximation of how many GEO are currently in circulation right now
There is a one-year term of service with the user and GeoDB according to their updated Terms of Service via their app
It can be renewed since there is a 1 month-prior notice
You would need a small amount of BNB (Binance Coin) to cover the withdrawal fees
The process of restoring your wallet is terrible
You may lose your wallet due to some update that GeoDB made
This has happened twice to me: once for a major update and another for a random update
Buggy at the moment since the app hasn't been updated in months
Other Notes:
You may occasionally receive surveys that take up 10 seconds of your time to earn 1 GEO
The Review:
This is a valuable app if you're a traveler paying for unlimited data for your phone.
But if you're the type who stays home a lot, you'll still make good earnings regardless.
The amount you earn fluctuates a lot for me but remains relatively the same regardless of the current price, whether it's $0.50 or $2.00 USD based on my observations (developers might patch this up later).
It's a lot better than some of the centralized services I've listed above since:
I don't like dealing with their terms of service sometimes
It's decentralized, so everybody is anonymous while using this
GeoCash is going to keep growing in the future.
You can make that happen faster by using it and spreading the word about one of the decentralized ways of selling our data.
Use the code ITSMHL_BCR7JS to receive an amount of GEO as a starting bonus instead of 0
(Amount of GEO rewarded varies depending on the price of GEO at the time)
Also worth noting is to absolutely make sure you keep your private keys and mnemonic phrases in a safe place where you can remember them.
You don't want to be like multiple people that lost thousands of dollars worth of their Bitcoin simply because they lost their password, mnemonic phrases and/or private keys.
If you would like to read their White Paper, click here. For FAQs, click here.
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Jelly
[Web3] (Available on Windows, MacOS [and possibly Linux?])
Jelly is a Chrome extension that rewards you for browsing the internet as it displays display personalized non-intrusive ads.
Whenever you click on a Jelly ad, you’ll get Jelly BITS as a reward.
Jelly BITS can be exchanged out for Paypal cash or withdrawn to your Crypto wallet.
But why are they doing this?
Jelly’s mission is to fix internet browsing for everyone where you own your data and are rewarded for seeing ads as part of the Web3 ecosystem.
They give value to you by making ads fair, rewarding, and profitable.
And since the Jelly Extension is 100% private, your personal data is always safe. They don't collect or share your data with anyone, so your data always stays on your device.
If you’re sick of the global advertising industry exploiting and profiting from your data, you’ll love the Jelly movement.
Be part of a movement fighting for a better internet by signing up and creating your wallet with Jelly today!
Pros:
Easy to use
Cons:
Not enough people know about it
The more people know about Jelly, the greater our data wis valued
Other Notes:
Currently in alpha development phase
The Review:
Since Jelly is relatively new, there's not much for me to say about it. I'd say there's no harm in installing it.
Check on it from time to time to see if there's any updates.
Be sure to bookmark this page since this was a long read and I will continue updating it over time to reflect any new changes.
For Part 2 of this post, 11+ More Legit Services on How to Make Money From Your Data, please click here.
If you're looking for related articles like this post, then you may like:
If you liked this post on theLegitimate Ways on How to Make Money From Your Data, I would appreciate it if you can tip me in BAT (Basic Attention Tokens) on this website.
Don't know what those are? You can install Brave Browser by clicking here.
It's a 3 to 6 times faster version of Google Chrome, focused on protecting your online security and privacy from all the online trackers lurking on websites (AdBlock can't get all of them).
Brave automatically blocks everything intrusive for you when you start using it [thanks to the former CEO of Mozilla Corporation (Firefox) who created Brave] and is considered to be the most private browser compared to Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
So I believe you will get the most value out of Brave as your primary browser
Plus, you can use Brave Rewards, which earns you BAT automatically from viewing non-intrusive ads up to 10 per hour (or none at all) through desktop/banner notifications.
What makes BAT awesome is that you can sell it for fiat money, such as in USD or Euros.
You could exchange it for gift cards such as Amazon, retail stores, restaurants, online subscriptions, etc. if you prefer that option instead.
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