the difference being the database in this case is a culmination of god knows how many accounts on the www several TB-PB of data so it bit more scary.

The point is that all the data is centralized in a single database in this case.

sure and i can find out your real time location by hiring a PI to follow you around all day, but it's a lot cheaper and easier if i just pay google for it. plus i cant hire a PI to follow everyone around, there's a cost to that.