The Invisible Trade: Google and the Attention Brokerage Model

Google's products cost nothing — but you're still paying. This video breaks down how Google turned free tools like Search, Gmail, and Maps into a $300+ billion business by brokering your attention. Every search is a signal of intent, every click trains a prediction engine, and that prediction is sold to advertisers in real time. At roughly $60–80 per user per year, "free" has a price — it's just not on the receipt.