@atomicpoet maybe I'm missing the point, but I think there's a distinction between money changing hands, and being a customer. When I contribute to my instance, I feel as though I'm supporting a public good (e.g. offsetting the cost for people who can't pay). Moreover, I don't feel as though there are the same profit incentives that might lead my instance to sell my data, track me, etc. That's different than the way I feel when I'm somebody's customer. Maybe I'm naïve?