>Your cell phone provider does not constitute "drinking buddy".

You're right, it should be even more scandalous for the government to get information out of my drinking buddy, because the information I told him was in confidence, and he promised he wouldn't tell anyone. My cell phone provider, on the other hand, clearly says in their ToS who they'll share data with and in what circumstances.

A non-exhaustive list that has, time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time again, to downplay the grossly cavalier approach they take to the "privacy" of your location data.

They value it alright. At several dollars per person.

And the ToS probably has a clause that says "we can alter the deal any time we want and you should pray we don't alter it further".

"who they'll share data with and in what circumstances"

Anyone who offers them money?

And what many are saying is that the phone provider should not be allowed to be so free with your data in the ToS. In the same way that your landlord can’t add a slavery clause to your lease.