Here's the rub: Google wants to have it both ways (legal defence, slim "actual" privacy protections). But, what the "sensation and disingenuous" responses really are is a political critique. It's a surprisingly common tactic, similar to the reduction ad absurdum, where you pin your opponent to their position, to see them wriggle and squirm. It's not a friendly way to critique something, but Google doesn't need our protection. So I say, amp up with "sensational and disingenuous" critique and carry on!