[joaobeno]

Here is why they track and collect:

“Hiding within those mounds of data is knowledge that could change the life of a patient, or change the world.” (Atul Butte, Stanford)

"Information is the oil of the 21st century, and analytics is the combustion engine” (Peter Sondergaard, Senior Vice President, Gartner)

“Without big data analytics, companies are blind and deaf, wandering out onto the web like deer on a freeway.” (Geoffrey Moore, author and consultant)

.

.

.

And the quotes go on and on...

[ninjin]

Right, but regardless of the factuality of these claims, remind me how we continue to sidestep the issue of consent from those that are tracked? “Privacy nuts” such as myself do not struggle to see upsides to say a global DNA database with perfect coverage, it is the fact that we are very much aware of the terrible potential downsides of a world where privacy and consent is largely ignored that makes us concerned.

[JohnFen]

Those aren't the reasons, they're just attempts at finding an argument that will make people lay down and take it.