Fucking yes! This should be the default. The default should be pay, with a free option that requires you to dump truck all your data.
Tech giants have completely ruined the internet economy. You can’t even pay for these things now. It’s just hand over all your data and secrets, or fuck off.
And the worst is that new businesses can’t compete unless they do the same. You can’t compete with free.
It should just be default to not collect unnecessary data, whatever that may be, while being free. Maybe make paid plans with premium features. Everything else will just mean that Big Tech can spy and manipulate poor people, because they can't afford to pay for every service they (have) to use. We should stop tying privilege to money.
Maybe I'm being too dramatical, but that's what came to my mind after reading your suggestion.
Moreover, paying for goods and services is how the economy works. Netflix does not have a free tier. Are they fucking over poor people?
2) It's not wrong, not to have a free tier. It's not wrong to have paid plans. What I think is wrong, is defining that surveillance should be the default. Give me the option to disable analytics etc. completely. Tying this mechanic to money is wrong. You shouldn't have to pay to not be spied on.