People take the idea of privacy really seriously today, as well. But just like then, not enough people take it seriously.
Obviously, despite the number of people who did take it seriously 25 years ago, the companies didn't really care, they still did what they did and structured the industry to become rent-seekers.
The problem with regulation is that the biggest companies pay people a lot of money to figure out how to best game the system, with the goal being infinite growth. Even if you try to regulate this type of behavior, there will be a large number of lawyers and businesspeople trying to figure out how to stretch the letter of the law as far as they can, and the biggest ones may even decide that they'd rather pay any related fines, than give up their user data revenue stream.
To create effective legislation, you should also at least make a sensible attempt at figuring out if there might be any unintended consequences.
I don't have an answer, other than to say that perhaps there should be a lobbying group for privacy with the same dedication to trying to figure out how to game the system, but to further privacy rather than to erode it. Fight fire with fire. I genuinely wish anyone who tries this good luck in raising the capital it would need to be competitive.
Obviously, despite the number of people who did take it seriously 25 years ago, the companies didn't really care, they still did what they did and structured the industry to become rent-seekers.
The problem with regulation is that the biggest companies pay people a lot of money to figure out how to best game the system, with the goal being infinite growth. Even if you try to regulate this type of behavior, there will be a large number of lawyers and businesspeople trying to figure out how to stretch the letter of the law as far as they can, and the biggest ones may even decide that they'd rather pay any related fines, than give up their user data revenue stream.
To create effective legislation, you should also at least make a sensible attempt at figuring out if there might be any unintended consequences.
I don't have an answer, other than to say that perhaps there should be a lobbying group for privacy with the same dedication to trying to figure out how to game the system, but to further privacy rather than to erode it. Fight fire with fire. I genuinely wish anyone who tries this good luck in raising the capital it would need to be competitive.