that's a typically conspiratorial midset. First, there's no REAL REASON. There are lots of reasons. Sure, that's one of them, and without "Waking up, America" can disabuse itself of the myth. Oh yeah, shatter the myth. Whatever. Somehow my jaw didn't drop to learn that the modern connectivity can be used for data-collection.
Personally, I'm kind of surprised at the level of legal restrictions that are imposed (I didn't say followed) on data collection of individuals. And if my jaw drops, it's that largely these companies seem reasonably willing to do some anonymizing since they are quite interested in the aggregate. This to me seems a sign that it's still an immature technology. There are too many advantages for "them" to know everything. You'll see it as a crime- or terrorist-prevention tool; if something shocking (in the real sense of shock) happens, it'll be more than just Trump voters who will support enabling of the surveillance capabilities that are already there. I think it was Brin who wrote that fighting for privacy gives tools to the privileged but won't really protect the rest of us.
So bottom line, this seems a weird hill to plant your flag. Your phone knows so much more about you 'cuz you probably keep it with you a lot, and if anyone cares to do it they can use it as a microphone without you knowing. Fortunately we're a few years away from cheap & easy data processing on that level - despite the fears of several others on this board.
as you can tell, it's not the overarching thesis I disagree with, it's the pearl-clutching over something really minor in both health hazard and risk to liberty.