As shady as this seems, if consumers put up with it, companies will keep doing this sort of junk. Consumers are going to have to take a clear stand on privacy issues if we don't want to see this sort of thing get even worse.
This kind of thing reminds me of that study which asserted that the COPA act would kill far more children via the targeted advertising for childrens' junk food it enabled than it would ever save from "online predators". Untended consequences ...