[kalleboo]

> Why would every website's business model be based on ads and tracking?

Certainly there are for-pay services as well, but the absolute vast majority of people prefer to pay with their privacy than with their cash, to the point where starting a for-pay service of that type today without a known brand name behind it is not going to pay your hosting bills let alone put food on your table.

[pessimizer]

Also, there would be absolutely no economic motivation to not exploit the data of the users of a for-pay service.