Why would they want to "fix" something they intentionally did?

Not saying it was a good idea. Just that it was their idea in the first place.

well, they weren't the first ones..

it just seems weird, that the whole country is all paranoid about tracking. why else worry about it?...who cares.

I think the reason they pulled it is because the data is useful for SEO and they prefer if publishers optimize for people not keywords. If that's not the primary reason then it's certainly a secondary reason. I don't see how it will benefit search engines more to bring back keyword tracking over the benefit of keeping SEOs in the dark.

^interesting point.

It's funny how people still feel more comfortable than ever sharing their entire lives publicly with Facebook....but no other sites.

Even participation on general forums (including this one) and other social outlets have come down over the years. But Facebook / and Twitter? still popular as ever.

they prefer if publishers optimize for people not keywords

It works in both directions, though. If someone searches for "double-decker framistans" and the search engine sends them to a page of mine that has much to say about double-decker submarines, and much else to say about discombobulated framistans, but never even mentions double-decker framistans, I'd like to know about it.

Does the average human (a) know or (b) care whether the website can find out what search query led them there? Or even that there is such a thing as a referer? Do they know that site logs will record their exact IP and browser, and there's not a thing they can do about it? (Short of lying and/or using a proxy, which may well get you blocked.)

If someone searches for "double-decker framistans" and the search engine sends them to a page of mine that has much to say about double-decker submarines...

The search engines conduct automated quality control to spot those and de-rank your site if it's not what the user wants. CTR and time on site data plays a part in quality control as well as machine learning processes where the algorithm learns why an unsatisfactory result happened and then adjusts the algorithm so a more satisfactory result happens.

not 100% related, but somewhat.

just noticed PS4's latest update (2.50) queries google searches to find out more about PS4 Trophies that you earn. Kind of interesting that Sony uses (trusts) Google queries to learn all about their game trophies.

So yea, basically if you click on a trophy within the PS4..and click on search internet, it google queries the specific trophy.