This is indeed just business as usual on the web, but I'm not sure that should be an acceptable excuse. Clickbait or not, the article isn't wrong to describe in

This is indeed just business as usual on the web, but I'm not sure that should be an acceptable excuse. Clickbait or not, the article isn't wrong to describe in vivid terms how huge companies traffic in very private personal data so that they can more effectively put ads in your face. Given how willing people seem to be to trade their privacy for a few pennies in free services, maybe plain-language articles like this are what we need to communicate the consequences of where that kind of attitude can lead.