zlacker

>>benwer+(OP)
I'm curious what would happen if a privacy-focused nonprofit tried to purchase this bulk data and were refused. If it's only truly available to 3 letter agencies then they are acting more like contractors and the legal rationale might unravel.

>>underb+Eo
This assumes that three letter agencies care about the law at all. They'll either come up with some other legal rationale that sidesteps the clear intent of the laws which would otherwise protect the rights of the American people or they'll just ignore it. I'd actually prefer it if at this point they just openly admitted that they were going to grossly violate our rights than this game where they smile and tell us how free we all are while they continue to come up with insane legal theories, imaginary guardrails against abuse, and toothless regulations which ultimately let them get away with doing whatever they want anyway. A little honestly would be very refreshing.

>>autoex+zq
I agree with this. I'd rather them drop the pretense and say that we are spying on all of you, we don't abide by our own laws, and we have shown the inability to self-police, hold accountable, or be transparent about our methods and bad actors. However, that would go against the illusion of "democracy" that is sold to the people to make us feel that we still have agency.