Kenny33
Google etc going after me directly (or indirectly under a warrant from authorities), is not a threat model that figures highly to me. BUT... One thing that rings true to some is the 'Facebook kills teenagers' argument i.e.:
I object to big tech's and the personal data industry's business practices, but in so far as it is legal where I'm at, I'm pretty powerless beyond lobbying local politicians. One thing I can do is say 'not in my name'. To that end, I want to be able to say, with truth, that I have not consented to their collection, processing, and sale or transfer of my data, at least in part just to keep my conscious clean, and make me feel I've done something. As such I don't choose to use their services, even with fake names or apps. It's just voting with my feet.
If they choose to do it anyway, as their systems and software don't check well enough that they have my current and active consent, well at least I know I haven't willfully consented to that. For sure, this costs me a lot in terms of convenience (no WhatsApp! And using Signal that doesn't even notify reliably - afterall they have constructed an effective monopoly in supply of a number of critical goods and opting out of all that hurts), but my conscious is cleaner... I am interested as to the legal position (esp when in europe), if they do routinely collect my personally identifiable data by default anyway... if anyone knows? In installing GOS, did I click yes to something I'd not read properly?