by exploited » Thu May 15, 2014 8:39 pm
I think the idea that "most consumers ... will opt for less convenience and more privacy" is dead wrong. I see no indication that is the case. Privacy advocates tend to belong to either the older generations, or a small segment of the population that is knowledgeable about social and political policy. The vast bulk of people, however, seem to have no problem with putting all sorts of personal information online.
Frankly, I don't see a reversal of this trend happening. Not just because it drives so much business, but also because I think the very utility of the internet is that we will learn more about each other and our species than ever before, simply by sharing information that has historically been viewed as deeply personal.