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Predatory Technology

We've used this term a few times in this website, so it's probably best to clarify it.

This is best described as a organization using an illicit technology means to get to their profit objective, many times at the unknown cost to the consumer, or even outright theft of the consumers (or 3rd parties) time or resources. Typically when the profit objective isn't what is written on the box, but instead cloaked with an agenda to profiteer silently, expect that it's predatory. Many times predatory capitalism just takes the form of buzz words designed to convince the masses of a technological benefit.

Simply: What if a company was interested in putting their financial interests before yours? That is a predatory business model. Real capitalism on the other hand works great when it's not one sided and not being skimmed; when vendors care about their customers financial interests and don't make targets out of their consumers by maximizing profitability. Predatory capitalism creates an antagonist culture, one that we won't be a part of.

At one point we assumed that if you paid a company, you could trust them as they'd have too much to lose by breaking that trust. But when all of the technology companies are normalizing the process of preying upon their customers, there isn's many solutions to choose from. It's feels that there isn't any coincidence that some of the largest technology companies in the world have shown us time and time again that they don't have our financial interest in mind.

Can you provide any examples?

Sure!

  • Spammers - They theft compute resources from the world, then attempt to sell illegitimate products to consumers.

  • Telemarketers/robo callers - See spammers...

  • Virus/Malware Creators -- So much potential, lost.

  • Many Freemail providers - Lack of clarity or transparency as to the e-mail routing process. KYNGIN provides full transparency as to why e-mail is being sorted, blocked, or delayed, and we provide instructions on how to fix these problems when those errors appear. When errors get particularly tricky, we can diagnose and investigate, something unheard of by Freemail providers (if you can even get them on the phone).

  • Most (if not all) Social Media - You are being given an opportunity to connect with your friends and family, simultaneously the social media company sells your personal habits and tracking information to their real customers with only an intent to sway their purchasing decisions, [or worse]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook–Cambridge_Analytica_data_scandal). These predatory companies employ people specifically to help build products that are intentionally habit forming and addictive.

  • Media companies that operate a 24/7 news cycle with intent to sell you FUD, preying upon human insecurity instead of education, with only an intent to keep you around until the next commercial break.

  • Most ad-supported media built with hooks that only to keep you around until the next ad can be displayed.

  • High Frequency Trading - Capital is oil that makes high performance machines run quickly, not a commodity to be traded, hoarded, and skimmed from.

  • Crypto Currency - The largest Ponzi scheme ever implemented.

A message to the predatory

We get it, you're 'clever'. You've traded integrity for quick profits because you are unhappy, insecure, and simple.

Understand there are more educated groups that put in the hard work to get where they are, and generally live happier lives. These people matter a lot more to the future of this world than you or the shallow individuals you're trying to impress. You're not beyond redemption: Admit fault now, be a better human, build better companies, sell better products, educate yourself, and you can be happy too! :)