> this drive to amass data will only lead to human suffering and oppression down the line

On a large scale, science (and economics) is a drive to amass data, which has led to vast reductions in human suffering.

Amassing data lets one (and mankind) make decisions not on random conjecture or feeling, but on a solid footing, which results in better decisions on how to allocate resources. Not gathering data where it's possible to do so results in more human suffering from making sub-optimal decisions from bad inputs.