They are probably the biggest culprit of them all. Absolutely. It's sad that there has to be such good and bad associated with any of this tech. It just proves that it can be used for the betterment of mankind or its detriment, and it will take more than a relative handful being vigilant and pointing out the pitfalls for there to be a course correction.

We keep moving ahead without asking whether or not we should, or finding ways to mitigate the risks or dangers. I'm not saying turn our back on advancements—not by a longshot. But we need to stop finding things we could do only and start asking if we should. And then deal with the consequences before we move ahead.

In the case of these internet companies, I suppose it was inevitable. There is just too much revenue to be had, for Google, FB and everyone else benefiting from their data collecting not to do it. If we lived in a society built on privacy and trust, this wouldn't probably happen, first of all, but if it did, then we could be safe and secure with the vast stores of knowledge and information about each one of us being handed around. People would act ethically, and find socially acceptable ways to actually help us.

It would be great to have everything we ever wanted and needed available for perusing at our finger tips. It would actually be a service to us. Especially if price and quality were factored in so we're getting something worthwhile with our limited resources.

But, unfortunately, it's far less about improving our lives than it is enriching their own coffers. I very much believe in capitalism, but I also believe in the honest exchange of goods and services. If FB and Google were honest in their dealings with their users, they'd be paying every last one of us for what we just give them.