[chalst]

> they sell the ability to manipulate you to the highest bidder

This seems more like a description of Amazon. I understand Google and Facebook to be data hoarders: they build up the ability to manipulate you and use it in putting together the ads they serve, but they jealously guard it, rather than sell the ability on.

[colechristensen]

They're selling it by exposing targeting tools to advertisers which can only get more elaborate with time.

[beaner]

But the advertisers don't know anything about me personally. I don't really mind if I'm just an anonymized data point in a sea of millions.