I agree, it is sad, but your McDonalds comparison is not at all the same situation. I do when possible try to use privacy respecting software. There's a reason I'm on Lemmy. However, I'm using Lemmy from an Android phone. In many situations in everyday life, there is no simple way of avoiding having your data collected. My ISP and credit card companies collect and sell my usage information. I fortunately still have an older car, but when it inevitably dies, I'm gonna have to upgrade to one with an internet connection that also collects information. When my data is already being collected and sold by so many companies, I'm not going to stress myself out by worrying about adding one more, especially when the information they'd gain (my phone number and social media interests) is already plenty available from Google.
In your comparison, you act as if I've chosen to have this and have now given up. In reality, we're in a world where it's often the only option.
The correct answer is proper legislation to prevent and reduce this, because the sad truth is that the large majority of consumers never gave a shit.
You're forgetting all the companies that hold on to your data forever. Yeah I bought a $4 shenanigan 5 years ago, do you really need to keep my full name, phone, email, CC details, tax number and address, stored plainly in some poorly protected, internet accessible DB?
On some level, it makes sense. Like, if I never plan to enter the PRC's jurisdiction, it has less capacity to use my personal data to cause me harm than a five eyes member state does, because the Australian government does have jurisdiction where I live.