I actually had a chat with my local MP (Canadian equivalent of Member of House of Representatives) about this.
Why can't we stop companies selling our data? You'd think it's easy:
--- very clear opt-in method for having your data sold
--- rejecting cannot prevent regular use of services
--- heavy penalties for breaking these rules
Problem is that no politician wants to touch this because
--- manufacturers sell data to subsidize the product
--- if they can't sell data, costs are going to shoot up
--- if they do this in response to a law, they get to raise
costs even more because it affects the whole industry at the same time and there's a clear scapegoat
Consumers care a LOT more about their cheap, connected devices than their privacy. Because getting by your data like [2] happens to individuals, but costs affect the group.
EDIT: To clarify, the MP only suggested that costs would go up and people don't care. The rest is my personal speculation.
Why can't we stop companies selling our data? You'd think it's easy:
--- very clear opt-in method for having your data sold
--- rejecting cannot prevent regular use of services
--- heavy penalties for breaking these rules
Problem is that no politician wants to touch this because
--- manufacturers sell data to subsidize the product
--- if they can't sell data, costs are going to shoot up
--- if they do this in response to a law, they get to raise costs even more because it affects the whole industry at the same time and there's a clear scapegoat
Consumers care a LOT more about their cheap, connected devices than their privacy. Because getting by your data like [2] happens to individuals, but costs affect the group.
EDIT: To clarify, the MP only suggested that costs would go up and people don't care. The rest is my personal speculation.