'Shared Data,' a short story from an alternate future

Humans and machines might merge so completely that humans will not be able to survive at all if they are disconnected from the network. They will be connected starting in the womb, and if later in life you choose to disconnect, insurance agencies might refuse to insure you, employers might refuse to employ you, and healthcare services might refuse

Now, however, in a business unit called Precision Market Insights, Verizon is selling information about how often mobile phone users are in certain locations and their activities and backgrounds. Customers thus far have included malls, stadium owners, and billboard firms.