But there's a pretty specific analysis tool for this distinction. Goods like this are called "public goods" and they are both inherently non-rival and non-excludable.
What you say is fine, so long as this tool is in used. But people don't tend to do that.
Also, don't assume that the manner in which open source came to dominate software was inevitable. Had AT&T and SCO been able to come to an accommodation there's no telling what the world may have looked like. Plus, Linux is exceptional because Linus was exceptional. He's a stubborn guy :)
Actually on a second thought, I don't think that supporting data privacy is the job or the interests of governments. In fact, they are usually the first ones ready to sacrifice privacy in order to provider you with "security" services.
I wouldn't even define data privacy as "public goods" because you now, it's private, it's really a whole different thing than what governments are willing to provide.
Profit making is again in conflict with data privacy, because there are much more money to make by profiling the hell out of your customers then by selling technology to aid real data privacy.
So there's this niche of progress that can't be pushed neither by governments nor by businesses.
So in order for it to happen, there's the need for another force to drive it. And in my oppinion that force is the open source / grass root movement .
And I don't agree that linux is special because Linus is special. We're talking about a mindset here, and Linus is not the only one having it.
I use an adblocker. If your website doesn't like that, I'll stop using your website. So far as I am concerned, how you make money is your problem, not mine.
Data privacy isn't obviously a public good - it's both rival and excludable. There's way to look at it as non-rival, but since much of it comes down to trusted key authority I'd say that makes it rival.
I just recall the world of shareware before open source. It was certainly a way and much was done in that way.
It's interesting you would blame a lack of government progress on businesses. Historically businesses are happy to jump on R&D the government has done and made public.
I suppose for any potential innovation there are those that are opposed, but there are those eager to profit from it too.
These should have been the job of the governments, but unfortunatelly, those too are the puppets of big corporations and private interests..
Some people should just break the cat and drive this type of change as an open source movement. I for one am dedicated to try..
I don't think it's a coincidence that Linux, the SYSTEM of OPERATION that actually runs the world is supported by an open source movement..