And before anyone says it, yes I understand and no I don't want all of my private searches out in the world because it would be embarrassing.
Is that it? Just embarrassing things?
Is it being overly paranoid? Maybe in most cases yes. But we know the capability and desire exists for certain governments and agencies to locate and punish people and we know it does happen, even if it isn't super common.
You do not have to justify, and no one has the right to even ask for a justification, let alone judge the answer, of why ones thoughts should be allowed to be private by default.
On the level of individuals, "embarassment" may be more than emotional discomfort. It may lead to discrimination. Given some of the things happening in the US at present, it may lead to prosecution (or worse). It is possible that none of the repercussions will be legal, but they will happen nevertheless.
But just consider that the dumbest country on the planet, elected its greatest moron ever devised, and he is already screening people crossing the border based on social media history. Its not a terribly far leap from screening social media history, to screening literally any other data the government can get its hands on.
Now think about all of the dumb, violent, ideological, illegal things that folks do.
No one wants their bowel/fertility/pregnancy/prostate/breast concerns made public or traded between companies. If for no other reason than health insurance fuckery.
To add a new point, what about the scope of trust here?
For the lifetime (which is?!) of the data do you trust:
- all the executives who make decisions on the data? IE direct policies but also indirect decisions like what budget exists for securing it.
- all the executive of companies who might buy the data or buy the company that has the data.
- all the technical admins of the originating company AND all the companies that might later have the data.
- all the governments that have legal leverage over the above companies
Honestly, I think this is a huge ask.