The govt.. They don't care until you become a problem for them. Then they dig up what they have on you and use it as they see fit.
Some companies scan through your email to play relevant ads, so if you have a bunch of emails talking about kids you might see a bunch of baby related products etc.
[–] shuggermyshingle ago
Odds are governments don't care even slightly about you. "They" just want the ability to know, just in case. It's all about power. Companies are after your eyes for ad impressions, software installs and browsing habits they can resell. They're all about money.
[–] miistahmojo 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
We are in the information era and a big chunk of our current economy is based upon different forms of information collecting (spying).
Consider the fact that:
These companies collect massive amounts of data about their users because the data has the potential to be valuable to them. Increasingly sophisticated algorithms are developed to mine information from the data and useful information translates into $$$.
TL:DR companies spy on you for the $$$
And the government? The government just spies because it cares. /s
[–] wuziwu ago
no one is spying on you now put your shirt on and sit up.