While I am a privacy advocate in most aspects I guess you are answering your own question. Whether our data is going to an evil dictator or a saint is not the

While I am a privacy advocate in most aspects I guess you are answering your own question. Whether our data is going to an evil dictator or a saint is not the first question. The first question is, do we know where it is going? Were we explicitly told, did we knowingly and willingly give permission (not tricked, as a footnote in 8 point font in a 50 page terms and conditions agreement) to use our data - that should be our first question. If that is not satisfactorily answered (not just this case), then the rest of the questions don't matter as much. Even if the data collector's intentions are 100% pure (it never is) and it is used for the good of humanity (it never is) etc etc, it is still extremely offensive to take someone's most intimate data without them knowing and explicitly authorizing to do so. Even after that, there should be periodic independent audits just to make sure the data collectors hold their end of the bargain.