The dichotomy isn't between telemetry and no options vs. no telemetry and all options. Somehow a decision needs to be made what to include because everything ha

The dichotomy isn't between telemetry and no options vs. no telemetry and all options. Somehow a decision needs to be made what to include because everything has at least an opportunity cost, and historically that has usually been made by "common sense", i.e. what whoever is in charge feels like is the right set of options. That can work out great if you're very much like that person or able to influence them (and they want to listen), but if you aren't, too bad, and the vast majority of people out there is not in either position. Late 90s/2000s me was probably a huge lot less like those people than many here on HN, and I guess that explains some of the difference in experiences. I generally seem to be quite a lot like "most people", which makes an approach that targets the middle of the bell curve work well for me. I'm not a big fan of embedding surveillance technology in apps, but I'd say the people who do are on to something and what's missing may just be a more transparent and privacy-preserving way of doing it.