Rhetorical Analysis Of Should Tech Companies Pay Us For Our Data

In the article, “Should Tech Companies Pay Us for Our Data?” Andreas Weigend questions if companies should pay us for our data. Weigend’s purpose is to inform and explain to the audience that companies are making billions of dollars from using our data. He expresses that data is very valuable by telling us that companies treat data as an asset and data is often used for decision-making. Weigend uses stylistic techniques, establishes credibility, and provides an article that his audience can understand to create an effective and informative argument for the audience. In the article, Weigend first discusses the issue of companies making profit off our data. He then brings up a possible solution made from Microsoft Research scientist Jaron Lanier

In the second stanza of his article, Weigend uses repetition of the types of data that companies use to make money. For example, data about where we live, where we work, who we love, who we hate, what we eat, and so on. He uses this to inform us that companies use every bit of information that we share. In addition, Weigend repeats mostly the words “data,” and “value”. He repeats these words throughout the article to bring emphasis on how data is very valued to companies. Weigend also uses rhetorical questions in his article. The first rhetorical question is “Who’s truly deserving?” Weigend asks this question because he wants his audience to think who deserves to get paid. He then explains that getting paid for our data can be very difficult because many factors that go into it. Another rhetorical question Weigend uses is “If companies are banking on your personal data for their business, shouldn’t you get a piece of their profits?” Weigend asks this question to create a response from the audience. He wants everyone to think that being paid for our data is great, and it only sounds fair to most people. Later, Weigend turns the argument around in order to surprise the audience. Weigend creates a memorable and convincing argument with the use of stylistic