But, if the leaks are about unethical bluestones practices or illegal action? Google might be better served living by their own original motto than hunting leakers.
It's really not about simply violating privacy. It's about the actions one takes after one violates all the privacy ever.
Big data is power. Facebook and Google know that. Everyone else had better learn. These reactions telegraph that Google and Facebook have been eagerly making use of the power they've gained, and it's obviously backfired… or, the first things they've tried to do have been totally evil and reprehensible, and successful.
Part of the goal of the GDPR is to turn massive stores of user data from a corporate asset into a legal liability. If we can get internet companies to treat user data the way brick-and-mortar companies treat hazardous chemicals--occasionally necessary for some industrial process, but best avoided where possible, and always treated with respect--then that would be a big win for society IMO.
Why are they so frantic if they're on the up and up?
From the attitude, it sounds like they've gone full-on 'be evil' and are legitimately panicked that they will be found out before they can get the kind of power that would render them immune from any consequence to their actions. They must surely understand international politics, and a lot is happening right now in international politics.
I would say Facebook and Google are likely to be smack in the center of what's going wrong, and that in both cases they figured they could learn to control the monsters they unleashed, and stood to benefit.
That would justify any degree of paranoia and hysteria over leaks. There is no purpose in being this frantic over leaks if they know they've not done terrible things.