I got fooled once with my data. Not this time.
Tags: Privacy, Technology, Pets, Tech, Startup

I got fooled once with my data. Not this time. Pawtocol Follow Jan 10 · 4 min read

Until recently, I never really thought about the value of data. Whenever I needed to let a new app get my info from Facebook, I agreed. It was just easier that way. I knew Amazon and Alexa were tracking every move I made when it came to their technology, and I let them. Then there is Google. I’d just about let them have everything only so I could make my life easier by using their suite of apps and software.

I didn’t mind Facebook selling access to my newsfeed only to use that data to show me specific ads I enjoyed or clicked on. I had no problem with Facebook reporting advertising revenue of nearly $50 billion last year. I mean, they are a for-profit business.

I never understood the value of it, but here is how they monetize data: As mentioned they use it to sell ads. Their data shows marketers you’re in a certain geographic region, recent searches (mine about white sneakers) and all other pertinent information about trying to make that sale to you. And it works because they know what you want. In a total act of brazen egregious behavior, they sell all your data outright to aggregators who are then able to do just about anything they want with it. They collect the data for their internal product development and then give you access to their products such as Google who has developed software we use every day thanks to our data points.

I never cared about any of this until I started noticing a growing trend in the news of some incredible abuses of our data that were downright scary:

Equifax data breaches of 150 million American’s credit data including social security numbers and bank accounts Capital One with 106 million banking and credit card records 4 Billion social media hacks in 2019 Cambridge analytical scandal where millions of Facebook accounts were surreptitiously accessed to sway an election

That last one was particularly troubling. Not because my Facebook profile contains sensitive information, but because I now questioned what was Facebook doing with all that profit if it wasn’t protecting me from something like this.

Then Andrew Yang came along and talked about the importance of data privatization and most recently, The California Consumer Protection act was passed which protects consumers’ data rights. All of this made me rethink data ownership. However, I was too far down the rabbit hole to backtrack, but now ahead enough not to make the same data privacy mistakes — both personally and professionally.

Now working in the pet industry that generates huge amounts of data (there are approximately 800 million pets globally) from the onset I know their data has value which makes me more motivated to protect their information.

At Pawtocol, pets own their data. It’s a complete 180 from everything we’re used to in the world of data.

With Pawtocol all your data is in one safe place.

Pawtocol is an online platform bringing blockchain and AI to the entire $100B+ pet industry, with privacy-first design principles that all users retain full custody of all platform data and the rights to anonymously sell their data for direct compensation.

These pet’s will keep their data and make money.

In this new pet economy that Pawtocol will introduce to the world, Pet parents can earn Universal Pet Income (UPI) by sharing their pet’s data with veterinarians, retailers, manufacturers, or researchers who can then use that data to improve their operations. In a way, this means pets can help to support themselves, and the community at large.

That UPI can then be spent by their two-legged companions on anything from treats to vet bills or traded on an exchange for cash. Read more here about data monetization.

We’re making this easy and familiar with our app. Our interface makes it simple to be part of this next tech generation by making it easy to input data and gather your results. You’d never even know you’re using a crypto app.

When it comes to that data, we don’t store nor do we manage it. Most importantly we don’t sell your data.

Learn more about Pawtocol: