It only works the other way

A Facebook user found out just how valuable personal data can be when he auctioned off his social media history on eBay this week. The bid started at 99 cents and climbed to nearly $400 before it was shut down by the e-commerce site a day later.

Oli Frost, a writer and developer from the U.K., encouraged people to buy his personal information on Monday, which included every like, post and comment he's made since age 16; his listed interests, his friends list, event invitations and a family tree, among other things.

"Everyone else’s making money off it, so why shouldn’t I? Sell it to advertisers or whatever you want," Frost said in a blog post detailing the sale.

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