I have this same discussion with folks applying formal methods to prove the correctness of software where I work. Often the "proof" is harder to read than the original code and I certainly don't feel anyone has proven anything to me.
It’s my choice to use (or not use) Gmail. What data I share with them in exchange for their service is non of Amazon’s business. (If Amazon wanted to make this feature opt-in, sure, whatever.)
It was absolutely formative for my later tastes in science fiction. For a while, I thought it was something from a fever dream until I found a DVD on eBay.
