Although we have repeatedly reported on the individual competitions online, we have never asked ourselves one question:
Are these competitions really such a new and evil internet phenomenon? Can you even advise against these competitions?
Many recipients of spam emails or viewers of voucher competitions on Facebook are always faced with the question: is this true? Can you win? What will happen to me if I take part?
It doesn't matter whether it's a voucher from REWE, H&M, Aral or Mediamarkt: these competitions always run the same way. If you like, you can see a list of the similar competitions here
New? Really?
No definitely not. Anyone who complains about these competitions and declares the fact that data is collected here as a new phenomenon has not looked far enough. The only thing that is “new” is that social networks are used as a carrier medium, but competitions have been around for a long time.
In the past (back when 19 was still at the front of the year) there were other carrier media that were a little more “analog”. For example, people filled out pre-printed pieces of paper at fairs and gave their name, address, age and telephone number in order to win a “dream trip” or a “weekend in a sports car”. The connections between advertising calls or advertising mail were only partially noticed; data protection was hardly an issue in the age before the widespread use of the Internet. It was simply not of interest, an aggressive advertiser standing on the doorstep could easily be driven away with the threat of a broom.
There are no more doorstep visits
In contrast to 25 years ago, it has become easier to advertise en masse. The methods are cheaper and the reach is immensely greater. And here again you go to places where a lot of people are: social networks. There is always a “fair” here. The subsequent advertisers end up in the email inbox and no longer have to be expensively written to or visited by post. Otherwise nothing has changed. The data business still exists, just as it did 25 years ago. And before too.
The online competitions now state more and more clearly and directly who the organizer is and that the data will be passed on. In many cases, criticism can only be found among the participants, where one can ask whether they are aware that the data they have entered is now traveling freely across the country.
However, ask yourself
How big do you think your chance of winning is? How transparent is the competition you want to take part in? There is a 100% probability in every competition : your data will be sold . With certainty.
Unfortunately, it is not really clear what the prize is in the end. However, we have verifiably received ONE prize: a “trip” .
How do you decide?
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )