I don't buy that it's work traditionally reserved for governments, or that it's all bad.

There are people offering their services to find kidnapped children, I struggle to see that as a bad thing. Private investigatory work has a long history in the country of Sherlock Holmes (or at least Dr Joseph Bell). You have figures as far back as Harry Philby flirting with foreign governments after their time within the UK government.

They're not offering government services, they're offering their own capabilities.