Apps, search engines and social media networks have a constant presence in most people’s everyday lives. Years ago, these sites and apps seemed harmless and helpful—they were strategically designed to appear this way to the average person. But as the amount of data they’ve been gathering on users has been brought to light, public opinion has shifted. Unfriendly terms such as “data monopoly” and “threat to democracy” are currently setting the tone of discussion around companies like Google and Facebook.