Pondering privacy: We’re being exploited and spied on, and that sucks

[Commentary] Although I’m offended by companies such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and other web companies that rely on our data to turn a profit and constantly push the bounds of our trust, I’m also really offended by the National Security Agency’s apparent decision that it operates beyond the reach of any law. But, then again, maybe everyone should just tone the moral outrage down a bit. After all, we’re the cheapskates who can’t bear the thought of actually paying for web services and freely give our data in exchange. And, besides, the chances that any human being inside Google, Facebook, the NSA or anywhere else actually knows your name without good reason is slim to none. Everything we do is collected and analyzed by someone, and it’s all in the name of putting advertisers in front of us. We are the product that advertisers are buying; the more they know before paying, the happier they are. In the end, every new product is really about collecting more data of a different type. Facebook wants the intent data search can provide, Google and Microsoft want a social graph, LinkedIn wants to know who you know outside of LinkedIn, Yahoo wants -- well, it wants something (maybe our photos). The products might actually be downright useful (I use the heck out of some of them). And if you think Gmail and Skype and web search are great, just wait until we have connected homes and self-driving cars.