With that being said, I've some feeling that the "consent" FB and Google have from its users to essentially bulk collect and analyze their data may largely stem from ignorance as to what is being collected and how it's being used i.e. the relationship between the content one produces in Gmail and the ads that same person receives.
That's a tightly coupled, straightforward relationship too. I've no doubt that the average person has zero idea what is involved when Google touts that it can now confidently track an ad being served/viewed online to an in-store, in-person purchase offline.
Then again, with the Snowden leaks and similar and the absolutely apathetic (at best) reaction from the public at large, maybe convenience merely trumps all and will forever more.
So either basic needs or some basic needs + emotions.
If people have a decent job, a house and a car they'll basically never rebel.
I agree with your sentiment and I too am uncomfortable with it, but we the individuals should take responsibility and ownership of our consumption. It sounds like you are preparing to do so, but I don't have high hopes for society at large.
I might extrapolate that at some point I would have pinned the blame entirely on Google, and then rattled about how they have a "social responsibility" and perhaps that's still true. But I am seeing that really, we took the spade to dig a flowerbed, and haven't wavered a bit as it's deepened into a grave.