Did you know that every time you surf the web, you are basically working a full time job for someone else- and not being paid for it. You are free labor for data scientists, marketers and data sellers, etc etc etc. Meaning, every time you browse online, your personal data is sold over and over again from marketers to data buyers and on- funding a billion dollar industry. That’s right. A billion. Dollar. Industry. Funded by your online presence and personal information. And you are making zero percent of that money. ZERO part of that transaction. Even though you are the one fueling it.
Did you also know that data is the new gold. Meaning, your data is super valuable. The reason for it’s worth, is that currently, the tech world is obsessed with Artificial Intelligence. While your data is constantly offered around the web to help consumerism find you and taunt you, this data is also being used for machines to learn like humans. But there is a problem. So far, the data we have can only take us so far in Artificial Intelligence and machine learning- the data we have now isn’t quite human enough. The current state of our data can only learn so much from a User’s online actions and personal information. It is missing the special psychological nuance that humans have. I like to call this ‘our animal’. Our animal is the way we sense and react and plan ahead and impulsively decide based on mood or fear- based on our animal vibes- instincts and so on. The animal interactions, the inner workings of human form, is what Artificial Intelligence and machine learning really need to mature to the next level- a more human level. And, all the major players in the data world are trying to figure out how to humanize data. That’s right. You- the animal in you- is very valuable to those data big whigs- you are bright, shiny, valuable gold that can be sold to the future of AI and make some people very rich. And make some data very human.
They say- and lots of people have said lots of different things about this- but it has been said that the average User’s data when sold and resold etc can be worth around $35,000 a year.
But wait. How do we humanize data and why do only those certain data big whigs get to be rich when we are the ones humanizing the data with our own ‘animal’? Who are these people that get to be rich and why can’t the sale of my data help me instead?
See, the Internet is an incredible thing. But I have an issue with it within the context of a much bigger problem with humanity. The Internet is a global umbrella of connectivity and capability and it is only being used in a very limited way. It has incredible opportunity to help humanity and yet it usually serves as an information superhighway and then a consumerism channel and then a social tool. But what about a way to make our lives better? We have built systems of government and economy that very often only hold you down in some way. The trickle down from that has led to humans being miserable and struggling more often than not. We are constantly working too hard and not spending enough time enjoying life with our friends and family, and not having enough time alone to recharge. Usually because of money. It’s impossible to live a balanced life with all the ridiculous expectations we have come to accept as being successful and all the ways consumerism plays us for a fool. What the heck is wrong with the world today?
If the Internet is this over-arching umbrella with global connectivity, and we are the ones fueling it. And we have valuable information that can help machine learning become more human. Why can’t we help humanize the data and make basic income for our web presence- us the USERS, the fuelers of this online economy- we get to make OUR money back? Everyone could win.
We have been led to believe- or come to accept- that the current status quo Internet is good enough. Or that the Internet is as advanced on the User side as it can be. When actually, with the right team, we could build a platform that could revolutionize Artificial Intelligence while helping the average Joe pay some bills, put some money in savings, go on a vacation, pursue a hobby or give to a charity- and maybe worry a little less. Struggle a little less. Enjoy a little more.
What if we used our own free will to create something that is simple and cool and helpful and beautiful for everyone. Something that is truly a watering hole for us, the online community. And the businesses came to us for our input and we were paid for fueling this superhighway. Why can’t that exist?
And thus, this was my mission that began eight years ago. A mission of trying to understand the human nuance behind information on the Internet, creating an opportunity to help people earn online for their human characteristics. A mission that would hopefully help us 1. understand ourselves and each other better- help us understand things that are like us, complimentary to us and different from us and 2. to help everyone get a leg-up with a little extra economy by earning for their online human vibe. This mission led to trying to peak behind the iron data curtain. Trying to figure out how we can help ourselves. Everyone with an equal opportunity. It hasn’t been easy. The curtain was closed on me- the secretive world of data, the Land of Oz. Why would they invite me in anyway, there are billions of dollars of our money stacked in their closets behind that curtain.
My name is Gillian. With a hard G. I am the Founder of a company called NEON that, if all goes well, will be a new layer to the Internet that will totally disrupt the Internet we have today. I have decided to write about this totally crazy, exhilarating, never-forgiving, scary but totally worth-it-mission- hoping to make a record of its pure intention and to plant seeds to a major thought-shift. Hoping to share how hard it has been, but how worth it it will be if we can make this happen. What it’s like to be a woman in this industry. What it’s like to have an iron clad industry tell you there is only one way to do something, when you know only the people making billions are telling you this. What it’s like to feel like you can’t move some days, and other days you can make some major change. Why eight years has been worth disrupting my life to follow my heart’s mission.
So, follow me here for a minute as I explain, it took me eight years to get here, but this is what I came up with to create a new layer to the Internet with a human vibe, a layer that pays the User for their human vibe: Years ago, an interest in psychology had led me to a personality test that is supposed to be the best gauge of personality testing with decades of research about how humans connect and their personality typings. If we could add this personality testing to data points on the Internet, we could humanize data in way it has never been done before. Since this information is so internal, private and sacred, we would allow the User to own their psychology profile online and combine it with their current digital footprint. This new super data would be very secure and only the User would decide if they want their data sold or not. NEON then brokers the sale of the data so the User can make money for their personality fingerprint online. That’s right. We can allow the User to own their personality information and use it for currency. Think Bitcoin for the average Joe. And the way we convey this human vibe online is by utilizing color icons to represent the different personality vibes on searches, maps, shopping, review etc. So, color vibes are human vibes.
This new layer offers the User a new technicolor layer, a new way to connect to information online using color vibes to explore search results, maps, social networks, retail experience while offering new data for the data scientists and data buyers- all while the User makes money to surf the web with their color fingerprint.
Eight years later, we are getting ready to officially launch a fully functional platform this Summer 2018. It seems the world is ready- the idea of owning data is much more commonplace. The idea of basic income is much more commonplace. The world is chaotic enough that it might be time for something new- like a color-coded system to better understand each other as human animals- and that pays us money for our animal. Its been a long road building NEON, having to completely bootstrapped the build and design with help from family, friends, supporters and city factions- having put together a team of incredible scientists. NEON has been patented through all that help. Currently the website is a very soft Beta while we check our testing and security etc. The design is still being overhauled. It’s a Beta- I had to get over my perfectionism and just put it out into the world, as is. Scary. But still, we made it. The fully functional website is officially launching this summer. That is, if the big iron data curtain doesn’t hit me on my way out to this new thought-shift.
And by the way, I am a YELLOW. What color are you?
