The main use of data is not to sell you shit but to see how your brain works. Thats how the Chinese use data domestically and it would be surprising if they don't use it abroad.
The more they know about how people function, the more effective they can make various kinds of propaganda. If you watch one video and don't react to it, it will be noted. If you watch a slightly different video on the same subject and react to it in some sort of way, it will be noted. They won't give a shit about you personally but it will data saying "this is how the human brain works", and they can make promote more videos of the latter sort if they want to create some sort of emotion in you, or promote videos of the former sort of if they want to numb you down.
Take this example:
1. I get exposed to two videos. One claiming that China is great because of all its advantages. Another one claiming that China is great because everyone else is shit.
2. I don't react to the first one, just note it and move on. But just hours after watching the second video, I write something anti-western somewhere.
3. China have all my data, they know me well. They can say that this kind of propaganda works on this kind of personality, while this kind of propaganda works better on this type of personality.
4. Once data gathering and processing is efficient enough, every personality type and what makes them tick will eventually be understood and flawless. Once they know enough about me or you, they WILL know what sticks in your brain and what you're immune to.
Consumerism is just a very small part of data. What governments and big corporations really want is the behavioural data that helps them design products/ideas/politics/visions perfectly suited for what they want you to do, feel, think or buy.
