An idea for a small scale business while enhancing user privacy.

Creating alternatives to data-hungry platforms

Here's something I see way too often now.

"Add and verify your phone number to continue" has become the new normal across the web. What bothers me isn't just the verification requirement — it's the fine print that follows. Notice how they mention you'll receive calls and texts "for verification purposes AND as specified in your Communication settings."

So you need to give them your number to proceed, but once you do, they can contact you for marketing purposes too. And you can't adjust those communication settings until after you've already provided the number.

The Privacy Trade-Off Problem

This represents a bigger trend where platforms ask for personal information under the banner of security, then use it for other purposes. Every phone number becomes a direct marketing channel. Every verification step becomes another data point.

It's presented as "this helps prevent fraudulent activity and enhances your experience," but the reality is more complex. Yes, verification can improve security. But it also creates a more complete user profile that has commercial value.

Building Something Different

I recently got a Claude subscription and I'm excited to start building an alternative approach. My goal is to create a small online business that demonstrates you can be profitable while respecting user privacy.

The target? Something useful at around $7.99 that makes money from the value it provides, not from harvesting user data.

Why Small-Scale Works

Building small has advantages that get overlooked:

• Sustainable economics — You don't need massive scale to be profitable at reasonable prices
• Direct relationships — You can actually understand your users' needs without analytics dashboards
• Clear value exchange — People pay money, you provide service, everyone knows where they stand
• Privacy by design — When you're not selling data, you don't need to collect it

The $7.99 Philosophy

This price point represents something important: fair exchange for real value. It's what you might spend on lunch, and it's sustainable for both creators and users.

When your business model is "provide value, charge fairly" instead of "capture users, monetize later," you can actually price things reasonably from day one.

What I'm Building

I'm documenting this process of creating a profitable small business that doesn't rely on surveillance capitalism. The goal is to prove that respectful, sustainable tech businesses are not only possible but can be more satisfying to run.

There's room for platforms that ask for only the information they actually need, that charge transparent prices, and that treat users as customers rather than products.

Moving Forward

The internet doesn't have to work the way these screenshots suggest. We can build tools that respect privacy while still being secure. We can charge fair prices for real value. We can create sustainable businesses without becoming data brokers.

I'll be sharing updates on what I'm building and the lessons learned along the way.

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Building better tools, one honest transaction at a time.