>My argument or question is why does Google (and not specifically Google, plenty of others) need to know all of that stuff?
Alright, but do you assume that they know it is you? By name, by your identity? If not then why do you care if they know your user-agent likes bondage? Are you worried about seeing ads for bondage movies while you're not searching for bondage, while perhaps someone is looking over your shoulder?
>we wouldn't accept that from anyone who kills, prostitutes, sells drugs, smuggles immigrants, or even legal-but-tasteless stuff like RIAA lawyer.
I've noticed something about people arguing on your side of the fence. They keep dragging in ridiculous extremes to try and prove their point; Comparing those extremes to Google (or whoever) knowing information about you. Another guy in here was comparing this to being watched in your home with video cameras against your own will.
>Google and god knows who else has a lot of deeply personal information that "making money" doesn't justify
So stop giving it to them. They won't know who is searching this information unless you link your identity to an account and therefore enable them to link it to your human identity. As for whether or not it's justified I think is subjective. It's a moral issue and it's entirely subjective.
>we say, search and browse very intimate stuff on the web, and we don't even know who it's being shared with.
There was a time when you could search and browse anything on the Web without the repercussion of someone else finding out about it. But that era is over. No amount of arguing this fact will bring it back. In the Web of 2011 and beyond if you search for bondage videos and you are logged into your Google account then Google will have a way to map it to you. If you don't log in, don't create an account, then they won't. It's that simple.
In the Web of today, if you search for it, you just have to be aware that people have the technological means to know about it and there is no good reason for them to not want to know about this information. It helps them make the decisions they need to make to generate more money -- the entire purpose of a business. No altruistic causes here.
