I am not a historian, but I expect there would have been significant pushback as well by other types of engineers back in the day when their profession was regulated.
It's not surprising. But what should not be surprising is that sooner or later, software engineering will be regulated [1]. The question is simply whether software engineers will let politicians do it to them in an unreasonable way, or whether they do it themselves in a more reasonable way.
Nothing stops companies or individuals from getting audits or from developing a voluntary license/certification. Consumers that want the added protection can pay the premium. But to force an entire industry into regulatory capture where its unnecessary seems foolish.
Privacy/protection of personal data is slowly being recognized as a Right across the world, as it should.
The standard legal philosophy across the world is that you can't actually predicate protection of a right on ability to pay (under reasonable limits). So, for example, nobody gets to build unsafe bridges and charge less for it, because it violates the right to life.
