FT Rethink

Back to the future with barter

Barter is making a comeback. That’s because technology has made it a lot easier to swap things online. It also means people can give away things like personal data to tech companies in return for services. But for the consumer, these trades can be very lopsided and that is why tech companies like them. The FT’s Gillian Tett explains how barter can be made fairer.


As the world changes at lightning speed, the FT Rethink series explores how to navigate transformative shifts shaping the future, from geopolitics and climate to industry, energy and health. The channel alternates between independent reporting from FT journalists and business perspectives from Lombard Odier.

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FT Channels, a partnership destination that combines impactful and enriching multimedia content to spark curiosity and encourage discovery. Each vertical brings expert insights from the Financial Times and our Partners into the most pressing issues of our time.

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FT Rethink

FT Channels, a partnership destination that combines impactful and enriching multimedia content to spark curiosity and encourage discovery. Each vertical brings expert insights from the Financial Times and our Partners into the most pressing issues of our time.


As the world changes at lightning speed, the FT Rethink series explores how to navigate transformative shifts shaping the future, from geopolitics and climate to industry, energy and health. The channel alternates between independent reporting from FT journalists and business perspectives from Lombard Odier.