Which of the following is an example of commodification?
A. The rise of paid online education platforms offering knowledge once freely available. 
B. Public parks being transformed into paid recreational spaces. 
C. The widespread use of bottled water as a purchasable good. 
D. The government providing free healthcare to all citizens. 

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is - A, B & C only

Key Points

• Commodification refers to the process of transforming goods, services, or concepts into marketable commodities.
• Examples of commodification:
  • Paid online education (Option A): Knowledge that was once freely available is now offered as a paid service by various platforms.
  • Paid access to public parks (Option B): Some parks and recreational areas that were once free are now restricted to ticketed entry.
  • Bottled water (Option C): Drinking water, once freely available, has been commodified with various brands selling it as a packaged product.
• Free healthcare (Option D) is not commodified because it is provided by the government as a public service rather than being sold in the market.

Additional Information

• Future trends in commodification:
  • Clean air: In some cities, companies are selling bottled or purified air.
  • Personal data: Many companies profit from collecting and selling user data.
  • AI companionship: Paid chatbot-based virtual friends and therapists are emerging.
• Decommodification: Some goods and services that were once commodified may become freely available again due to policy changes or technological advancements.