Member-only story
It all started innocently enough. I was scrolling through the app store, looking for something to jazz up my phone. Productivity, wellness, maybe even a game to waste a few hours. That’s when I stumbled upon it—a sleek app with a glossy icon and the magical word "FREE" screaming at me. Who could resist? Not me, obviously.
The description was pure poetry. This app promised to track my steps, remind me to drink water, manage my to-do list, and even lull me to sleep with soothing rainforest sounds. It was like having a personal assistant—except this one wouldn’t ask for a salary. I downloaded it faster than you could say "terms and conditions" (which, of course, I didn’t read).
At first, everything was perfect. My phone vibrated gently whenever it was time to hydrate. My productivity soared, fueled by motivational quotes the app served up like candy. It even knew my favorite kind of rainforest sound—thunderstorms with a side of chirping crickets. Life was good.
But then, the cracks started to show. It began with a trickle: an email here, a notification there. My inbox, once a pristine space for important updates (and the occasional pizza discount), became a swamp of “exclusive offers” and “limited-time deals” for products I’d never even Googled. And those push notifications? They were relentless. “Check out our new premium features!” it…
