"Traditional" hacking is getting pretty rough, basically a gamble to find an exploit, social engineering will be the easiest vector to attack something. Being able to gather data and influence will make it that much easier. I mean even Jeff Bezos got hacked by his Saudi "friends."
I mean, I mostly agree with what your saying above this, but this particular line I disagree with.
People get blackmailed all the time for different reasons. If I'm looking for a person in a hardware/software company that has weaknesses, having a full view of their social media is a great starting place.