I didn't say people should be blamed for signing up, but for continuing to use these companies and services after seeing many people burn or because they prefer the convenience. If you:

- want the convenience - are not willing to pay for it - and have gone out of your way to avoid doing your research on how this thing works

== it's on you

but i'm not saying this to blame people really, i want people who are in this position to take responsibility for themselves and look up wtf is (for example) google doing and how is it free, then choose if they're ok with that (and stop complaining) or are not (and quit it). Enough people leaving Gmail will absolutely make a dent in how Google thinks. I'm optimistic about this. More people are waking up to the technological-slavery we're living in.