[–] Oire 0 points 6 points 6 points (+6|-0) ago
So companies do it for user experience reasons. Figuring out what you do on their site/product/in general allows them to aggregate it and make their stuff moar better in theory. Information is power and such.
Governments want it for the same reason. If they know what porn you look at, know what your interests are, it is easier to understand/mitigate you if you become a problem in the future. Think of it as preemptive suppression. It even works if you know you're being spied on. Who wants to dissent when they think they'll lose from the beginning?
In short... money or power.
[–] 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
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.
[–] Arotaes_Forgehammer 0 points 16 points 16 points (+16|-0) ago
Because knowledge is power. They have power over you by knowing everything you do, and they like that.