I have total confidence that Google itself isn't pilfering all my contacts.

As you should when you setup Android with a google account.

Well, my comment was rhetorical, as I have a deGoogled phone. It doesn't have Google Play Services - let alone a Google account.

Good, I'm guessing Graphene or LineageOS?

CalyxOS. I know it's now dead but I'm not reinstalling anything else on my phone for the time being.

Google: Only we have access, but if you pay us money, we will give them to you.

Also Google: Or be a tyrannical government, in which we'll give them anyway for the love of the game.

Do you have evidence that Google sells users' contacts to third parties without permission?

This is one of those features that make your wonder why it was never like this from the beginning. I'm very protective over which apps get this permission, so this is a positive step forward. I wish it was automatic, though, instead of being a new API that developers have to use.

That isn't what rhetorical means, you were being sarcastic.