IELTS Task 2 sample essay: Personal Data and Tech Companies
Direct questionsTechnology
The question
Technology companies now collect large amounts of personal data about their users. Why do people allow this? Should governments limit how this data is used?
Try writing your own answer first, then compare. Reading a model before you write tends to make you copy it.
The plan
Position: People allow it for free, convenient services and because terms are hard to understand. Yes, governments should set firm limits.
- Why: services are free and useful; consent is buried in long terms; the harm feels distant and invisible.
- Should governments limit it: yes, because individuals cannot negotiate with huge companies; rules on consent, deletion and sale of data.
Model answer
306 wordsTechnology companies now collect vast amounts of information about their users, from their locations to their shopping habits. People accept this mainly because the services they receive are free and convenient, and I believe governments should set clear limits on how such data is used.
There are several reasons why people allow their data to be collected. The most important is that many popular services, such as search engines, maps and social networks, cost nothing to use, and collecting data is how these companies earn money through advertising. Most users see this as a fair exchange, or never think about it at all. Secondly, consent is usually given by clicking “agree” on terms and conditions that are long, technical and almost never read. Finally, the harm feels distant. Unlike a stolen wallet, the loss of privacy is invisible, so people rarely feel that anything has been taken from them.
In my view, governments should limit how personal data is used, because individuals are in no position to protect themselves. A single user cannot negotiate with a company that has billions of customers, and refusing the terms often means being unable to use a service that friends, schools or employers rely on. Data can also be misused in ways users never imagined, from targeted political messaging to leaks that expose millions of people to fraud. Sensible rules could require clear, short explanations of what is collected, allow users to see and delete their data, and forbid its sale without explicit permission. Laws of this kind already exist in some regions, which shows they can work without destroying free services.
In conclusion, people allow companies to collect their data because the services are free, the terms are obscure and the cost is invisible. For exactly these reasons, governments should set firm limits on how that data is used.
Scored by the MyBandPrep checker on 7 October 2026. An estimate, not an examiner’s mark. How scoring works
Why it works
- Task Response
- Both questions are answered fully, each in its own paragraph, and the conclusion links the two answers neatly.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Reasons are clearly sequenced in the first body paragraph; the second opens with “In my view”, marking the shift to the second question.
- Lexical Resource
- Precise vocabulary: “a fair exchange”, “in no position to”, “explicit permission”, “obscure”.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- A wide range of accurate structures, including a comparative “Unlike…” opening and lists of infinitives.
Phrases worth reusing
- a fair exchange
- the harm feels distant
- in no position to protect themselves
- without explicit permission
- the cost is invisible
Now write your own
Answer this question in 40 minutes and get an estimated band with the sentences to fix.