What's the deal here? Do you want to be anonymous when using cryptos? As we know, bitcoin has an open and searchable blockchain, where you can trace anything. That's why some like to use mixers. Coins like Monero are popular because of ONE thing, anonymity. No one knows where goes what or how much. I've seen lately in illegal drug markets that monero is becoming increasingly popular due to its anonymity. I haven't seen monero been used much for anything outside the illegal drug market.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Do we want to enforce anonymity among cryptos or defend it?
Every time Monero forks it potentially discloses some information that can be used to identify owners of wallets.
Monero 0 (XMZ), Monero Original (XMO), Monero Classic (XMC) and second Monero Classic (XMC)
The potential problem with privacy coins is that exploits are also harder to detect. Exploits like what happened with all the zerocoin based coins.
Personally I think Electroneum is going to be a big competitor against Monero. It is based on the same code and has more people that use it.
There are far more uses for privacy coins other than "illegal uses".
Privacy is something that determines freedom. Without privacy your freedom is impacted.
People wear clothes, have doors on bathrooms, curtains and other privacy measures.
Disclosing your wealth publicly to strangers in not recommended. It makes you a target for theft and extortion.
Would you like everyone to know your purchases ? Porn subscription, hemorrhoid cream and political donation just as an example.