What's cynical is saying that there is no value in knowing if users watch video in browsers and comparing it to eyeball tracking.
The problem is, of course, that products seldom improve with use of telemetry, but that is beside the point.
That was followed up by asking if telemetry has value for the user. I answered it can.
The reality of products generally not improving with telemetry is beside the point. That is a problem with the people using the telemetric data.
I don't think that you did, though. The data that is gathered by monitoring what websites you go to can be obtained without monitoring what websites you go to. So why do they feel the need to monitor what sites you go to?
My answer to that is "marketing purposes".
If you're just going to discuss in bad faith, and I wouldn't be surprised since telemetry is always going to be criticized no matter what, you can take a look at the Hacker News Guidelines[1] and re-evaluate your presence here.
"Value" can only be properly understood as "Benefit - Cost". If the cost is greater than the benefit, the value is negative.
> Everyone likes better software, right?
But does everyone have the same definition of "better"?