Here are definitions from Merriam-Webster online dictionary, but what is your take?
Exploitation (noun): an act or instance of exploiting Exploit (verb): 1.) to make productive use of; 2.) to make use of meanly or unfairly for one’s own advantage
Monetization (verb): 1.) to coin into money; 2.) to purchase (public or private debt) and thereby free for other uses moneys that would have been devoted to debt service; 3.) to utilize (something of value) as a source of profit
- Edit - revised title to “Is there a difference…” from “What is the difference…”
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I almost feel like this question is bait. If you see every monetary transaction as someone exploiting another then I probably don’t have the energy to carry this conversation
Could be the equally exhausting polar opposite too: seeing every case of economic exploitation as just smart monetization.
At the risk of sounding like the Enlightened Centrists I so loathe, both of those arguments are ridiculously extreme and completely divorced from reality.
Agreed
Good point, I should reword the question. I don’t see it as every transaction is exploitative. But there is some kind of spectrum and I’m trying to understand where do I draw that line/range that separates good from bad. I’m curious to hear other people’s opinions.
A lot of the comments so far are trying to stay with the negative connotation to exploitation. You exploit your comfortable shoes to walk further each day. You exploit the microwave oven’s ability to more quickly warm your coffee than the stove.
This is the same with discrimination. You choose the raspberry danish over the cheese danish. This is you practicing discrimination, and it’s fine.
Any evil in it comes from abuse or impact to yourself with respect to others, that second definition of exploitation in the OP.
A artist/creator putting a price tag on their creative work is monetization.
A big pharma insulin maker charging diabetics 5x what they should because they know there’s high demand and people will literally die if they don’t fork up the cash is exploitation.
Monetization is assigning economic value to an physical asset.
Exploitation is artificially inflating the economic value of a resource necessary for survival and forcing a population of people into a position where they must give all of their generated value just to live. People need food, water, shelter, and sometimes life sustaining medicine. Most other things are nice convinences but entirely optional. Putting a million dollar price tag on an art piece isn’t exploitation, putting a 100$ price tag on a gallon of water would be.
Well said. I would still say, that exploitation can also happen with things not necessary for survival. Say a TV or a viral app. If a company finds something that sells at a very high markup and then uses that to get rich, it’s exploitation, if the conical does not need the money. Of course, they could e.g. donate it, then it’s fine. But if it just goes into the pocket of the owner, it’s exploitation.
Monetization: Providing a way for people to pay for something they want
Exploitation: Making people pay outside their means for something they need, or feel like they need (usually bc of FOMO)
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You monetize your own content, you exploit the content of others.
Hmm that is an interesting take
The terms listed probably aren’t used as defined in whatever material they’re being used in (which is pretty normal).
In the context of most modern usage, I’d say the difference is conditional on the consent of the subject (non-manufactured consent).
Exploitation also (I believe) implies a finite resource. Or at least, it’s going to run out if it’s being monetised VS exploited. For example, overfishing the oceans.
Exploiting people: making them feel that they have no choice under the threat of poverty if they don’t comply, often resulting in accepting less than favorable pay/them paying more to get something they need.
Monetizing people: “We already play video games for fun, so why don’t we turn it into a thing where we get paid to play video games by streaming it and possibly doing ads or accepting audience donations?”
Basically, exploitation is taking advantage of people’s possible desperation. Monetization is just taking something people might want and changing/making money off of it.
Monetization can lead to exploitation, but they are not intrinsically the same at its base.
I think for the most part, monetization necessitates exploitation.
Wow it never occurred to me that it was/could-be formally defined in economics terms… but I’ve never studied economics. However, I am aware that is as known as The-dismal-science tho
