No one asked me. They just took the information from me. I still don't think setting cookies and tracking habits is such a bad thing, but now I might actually see a bit of the opposing argument. Television, radio, and print ask their audience for info. Ratings are done through audience meters, diaries, phone calls.
Print often asks their audience to fill out questionnaires.
Yes, each medium can track consumers through feedback from their audience through advertiser's reports, but it's not the same. The audience knows it's being tracked. Ratings are reported. People are asked before information is gathered. I am asked about my thoughts on this topic all the time.