> The richest tech companies and richest men in the world got rich by invading people's privacy and ~selling invasive ads.~

I think you mean "manipulating content algorithms to favor their viewpoints and to target individuals for maximum effect."

Looking at the 15 richest people in the world, 11 did not get rich that way.

You overlooked plain cronyism in Russia 1991 and after, for example, and actual rich people who just invested very long ago, and repetitively over time, in companies making money (not timing the stock market), like Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett.

They got rich because people were stupid enough to think free services come without a cost.

Who is clicking on the ads though?