Advertising, ad campaigns, ad agencies, and the people that make it happen

Loved that bit on Forbes.com today talking about if the National Security Agency is indeed amassing a colossal database of Americans' phone records, one way to use all that information is in "social network analysis," a data-mining method that exposes previously invisible connections among people. This way you can gain insights, into people’s behavior, such as the fact that some of those in disparate organizations have common acquaintances. So now companies can buy social networking software to help determine who has the best connections for a particular sales pitch. Does this mean it’s OK for the government to spy on me without a warrant as long as it makes it easier for Proctor & Gamble to nail me with a particular sales pitch for the 24 ply Charmin? Is this the end of civilization as we know it?

I know where you live, phone number, shoe size, credit rating and how often you kick the dog. Have a nice day!