I simply believe (as someone with an economics and GT background) that you are right on your first statement. The issue with these more 'utopic,' i.e. would be great but hasn't happened for reasons, is that the incentives to contribute to such systems are lacking on both societal and corporate levels. If data isn't just out there, that's because the owners thereof are better off keeping it for themselves. It just takes a lot of goodwill to counterweigh this lack of incentives.