[thfuran]

In an ideal world, such data harvesting would be illegal, with liability adhering to the executives pushing for and approving the initiative as well as any legal counsel involved. Acquiring the data should require explicit, truly informed, and revocable consent not buried in a bunch of BS and not required for the purchase of a vehicle or insurance.

[ytx]

I wholeheartedly agree that the dark patterns around consent are atrocious. But I also think hn is probably biased in its valuation of an individual's data.

If companies offered say a $50/month discount on car insurance premiums in exchange for gathering data, I imagine a large proportion of people would indeed opt in to that (setting aside issues of selection bias or trust in this ideal world)

[thfuran]

People should be free to do that. My objection is to the fact that currently just existing in modern society (in the US) means you're being spied on by everyone from the manufacturer of your tv to the grocery store, and huge amounts of your personal data is sold to anyone who wants it.