The systems are already leaky (like the metadata, for instance, but also the weak end-point security most devices have, poor HTTPS implementations, and so on). This is not a problem. The problem is the intelligence agencies have too many "targets". They're only making things harder for themselves putting everyone on "lists". At least one of the terrorists from the recent Paris attack was on such list - an "extremist" list even. Didn't seem to help.

I think it's becoming more clear that intelligence alone is not enough.

I'm also very worried that 10 years from now we'll have an even bigger problem than Daesh in the Middle East, even if Daesh is "wiped out" - Al Qaeda was wiped out, too, unless we forget. Daesh is much bigger than Al Qaeda was, which means they have many more relatives and children than Al Qaeda had - children that may rise up again in 10 years to avenge their fallen fathers and cousins.

France's reaction feels very much knee-jerk and 20th century thinkining - "Someone attacked us? Let's bomb the hell out of them then!". It kind of reminds me of when the French generals ordered their foot troops into the Germans' machine guns a century ago, because that was their 19th century thinking at the time.

This is a whole other discussion that also needs to happen, and I think a much bigger issue than the encryption one.

The problem isn't the volume of data, it's the analysis and graphing. They need to develop better mining technology.

Conversely, if there is too much data and everything is hidden because there is too much, then why bother with the clamor for encryption? I mean, there is so much data, it's unfindable?

I think it was Poland and Russia sending cavalry and barely armed infantry into modern battle, not France during WWII.

In almost all the terrorist attacks that have happened recently at least one of the perpetrators has been known to the authorities. This tells me that the problem is failing to properly follow up on leads rather than missing people completely. This leads me to suggest that more dragnet surveillance is not needed instead we need targeted surveillance.