zlacker

>>benwer+(OP)
Unpopular opinion: this is a theoretical problem and practically, no big deal.

What is US Gov actually going to do with the data? Worse case very small numbers of citizens might be quietly leaned on to stop whatever proscribed behaviours they're engaged in; of the very very few who might continue to persist, I guess they may be dealt with in some other way - terrible of course, but the absolute numbers of these citizens must be small...therefore a price worth paying if everyone else on aggregate has increased security?

Lets not forget that these spy agencies report to democratically elected politicians who are ultimately public servants we can vote out. This is not like one of those authoritarian states

>>hungle+MH3
I disagree with your first point (people are extrajudicially "leaned on") but agree with your last point. People act like these things are not accountable to anyone. In reality- we are able to read about them because of transparency, they are accountable to Congress whom we directly elect, and they are checked via the courts.

We are reading about this now because of publicly released self reporting, that's oversight!