My prediction is this: in the future data will be as regulated as regulated substances are today. Facebook and Google and a few others will be akin to the mass

My prediction is this: in the future data will be as regulated as regulated substances are today. Facebook and Google and a few others will be akin to the mass manufacturers of this "controlled substance" and the selling and use of data will be regulated is such a way that private entities cannot willy nilly pay to spy on people. They will however be allowed to buy certain kinds of data for commercial use. In some regards this will be an improvement, in the sense that it would be harder for actuaries to weaponise your data against you, without your explicit consent. It would make it easier to control the use of the data collected about you. On the other hand it will legitimize surveillance by state agents and very powerful private entities. Another prediction is that countries might eventually start considering data a matter of national security and might restrict the transfer of data about their citizens across borders.