Not wanting to use any app that goes to a google server for a lemmy app is being privacy focused. Telling other people their preference in not valuing the same thing is wrong is elitism - saying that no app should do something, and nobody else should use an app that does that thing, because you prefer it that way - that's elitism.

Sync and the people who like it aren't invalid just because your preference is being privacy focused.

Along the same lines, it's totally possible to espouse the values of privacy to others without being elitist, as long as you aren't talking down to other people or invalidating other people's preferences, because that's elitism.

No, it is elitism and gatekeeping