Advertising and a complete disregard for privacy is in every part of Google's DNA, you cannot possibly claim ignorance of it, simply because you are in a department not directly working on advertising. That is equivalent to covering your ears with your hands and going "la la la I can't hear you".
That is why it gets brought up in every discussion about Google, because one bad apple really does spoil the entire bunch, their bad behavior in regards to privacy and a complete lack of customer support taints the entire organization, and everyone who works for Google has sold their respectability for a Silicon Valley paycheck.
Everyone who works in tech needs to take a good long hard look in the mirror, and decide for themselves whether they're OK with everything their employer is doing, and if not, perhaps consider why they choose to still work there.