The difference is that most western countries allow private organizations to have a significantly higher degree of autonomy from executive action and checks-and-balances to back it up.

The process can sometimes result in some of the same things happening, but the fact that they are not being done unilaterally is a major differentiator in multiple ways.

Your data in the US is much more likely to be abused when corporate interests voluntarily want to make money off it, than any abuse by executive power.