Online Privacy

There are more than one class of "privacy".

Software "privacy" - i.e. the ability of software to securely recognize where you normally login in from - denying this defeats much progress. It is not just marketing collection or accumulation, but workability that may be derived from IP addresses. In fact, as a "measure" of validation, software may prevent phishing, violation and ad brokers from illicitly targeting.

Over emphasize paranoia, and anonymize too much, and software starts to reveal far more about you.

Legal Privacy - now this one matters. If the Government can imprison you based on your IP address then you best anonymize it. Like anyone who wants to declare things against their taxes who morally should not, there are bits of law that protect you. If you rob a bank after showing your drivers license on their security video, you are asking for your privacy to be violated.

False accusations and invasion - Google is less likely to target individuals than Governments. If the USA accepts homeland security, why worry about who knows what you do on the internet?