I guess what people don't have a problem with there is that at least someone is physically listening in on a phone line - it requires manpower to do and thus is very deliberate.

It's when we are being data mined by the government there's a problem. I think we all don't mind being data mined for advertising (within reason) but when we are being watched to be 'kept in line' that's where there's a problem. At that point it's more like 'Minority Report' where you are being scrutinized before you even do anything.

I don't like being data mined, full stop. Advertisers don't get a free pass; I would much rather pay for any service than have companies I don't even know the names of compile mile-long paper trails of my online (and possibly offline) activities.

The problem here is not the level of access they get to our information. The problem is how they are allowed to use that access. The 4th Amendment doesn't really prevent the Feds from snooping on anything they want to, it just prevents them from acting on any of that information.

Huh? If the FBI busts into someone's house without a warrant there are going to be more repercussions than just "we can't use this information in court."