I agree. It's hard to understand how this is different than using a computer to detect, for example, credit card fraud. Both pour through tons of private data

I agree. It's hard to understand how this is different than using a computer to detect, for example, credit card fraud. Both pour through tons of private data (typically using algorithms that don't make sense to a layperson -- or maybe even to experts since they likely use some DNNs) to determine is something problematic may have occurred. Both technologies can be used for nefarious purposes, but both can have safeguards that minimize the likelihood and impact of these purposes. I'm way more scared of guns than I am of facial recognition and as a country we will never ban guns.