One of the points of the article was that humans are fallible, that is our nature. Best to prepare for that fact in advance (like assuming someone will steal your data stored with the government).

Re 'your' data, the problem is that it all exists in the private sector already and IS GROWING in the private sector much more quickly. What do you the big data bandwagon is? I'm much more concerned about a breach of my SSN from Equifax than the US Govt.

How about a bank creating fictitious > 10k deposits that they'd have to report to government? Now, the FBI is on your tail (see Eliot Spitzer).

The primary issue is that the government is our representative, and we have never given them the authority to spy on us in this way. Even if all the data were public the government should not be doing mass surveillance to ferret out terrorism. If terrorism were 1000 times worse than it is in the US it would not justify this activity, but given the tiny problem that terrorism actually is in the US, it's shameful how quickly some people are willing to sell out our principles for the false promise of absolute security. These are the stepping stones towards tyranny which are being built in the face of an apathetic public behind the smokescreen of the legend of America's exceptional liberty.

So many people believe "it can't happen here" and just nod along when Obama declares the necessity and level headedness under which this is all occurring, but even if you give them the benefit of the doubt that everyone's intentions are pure and no abuses are occurring at this moment, the apparatus will not be dismantled, and it will only be a matter of time until someone comes into power that does abuse it. It must not be allowed to exist; certainly not in our names and with our tax dollars.

In light of the fact that the Patriot Act allows this, you are a naive person - it's no big deal but just acknowledge the reality. The comparison to tyranny is absurd. This has been going on for 15 years http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore_(software) The fact that you don't know that isn't my fault. Get with the times. The question is why are you so naive to act surprised to hear about this? You really think Auschwitz or the Gulag is the next step from where we are now?

I'm not sure why you equate my outrage to ignorance. I can set you up as a complementary straw man by asking why long-term human rights abuses by your government cause you to automatically approve of their actions?

As to Auschwitz, well, that's why I said "stepping stones" not, "next thing you know Obama's going to grow a toothbrush mustache and send the jews off to labor camps". The point is that this kind of unbridled power of global surveillance, supposedly checked through secret courts but which are accountable to no one outside the innermost circles of power is guaranteed to corrupt in the long run. Furthermore, when the tyranny starts, you won't even know about it because it will be done in secret with explicit legal approval. Give your "it can't happen here" attitude I find it incredibly ironic that you would call me naive.

The fact that you are trying to cast me as an apologist for ' long-term human rights abuses by your government cause you to automatically approve of their actions'; I think the stupidest thing America has ever done is invoke the traditional war-machine (esp drones and block sites) against the Middle East.

The concern is there are so many laws, so vaguely worded, that if they want to imprison you they just have to sift thru your data until they find a match on something. Equifax may have that data, but they can't imprison me with it; read my prior post re the gov't terrorizing (and perhaps imprisoning, the incident isn't over yet) someone just for a dark-humor post on a chat board.

There is no justifiable reason for the gov't to engage on such a constant, pervasive, national "fishing expedition". The consequences are too severe.

Yesterday, an acquaintance had her home invaded by police, and all her lawfully owned & registered firearms were confiscated, without a warrant.

Why?

She posted a joke on the Internet.

We may have more ways to talk, but also more reason not to.

Bonus irony (for our international readers): this occurred on the USA's Independence Day, when we declared a national devotion to freedom, an event sparked by gun confiscation (see "Lexington & Concord").

Search "TJIC" to see this incident unfold.

The couple I referred to are upstanding law abiding citizens, but are vocal opponents of the local authorities. Not having any legal reason to shut them up, an obscure dark-humor posting by one of them was discovered and used as a pretext for totalitarian oppressive tactics (break into home without permission or warrant, confiscate lawful personal possessions (worth several months' pay) without adjudicated reason). It's akin to if you made some joke about observing the NSA like it observes you, a dozen armed-and-ready cops broke into your house and confiscated all your computers/phones/etc without a warrant.

The more they know, the more they can act against you when they want to.

ETA: I, like many, hesitate to say certain things on any recordable medium because we have reason to believe everything is recorded (and that which isn't can be derived from metadata). While my example used public data, the practical difference between public & private (chat board vs. PRISM) is becoming moot, and the consequences involving oppressive government acting without warrant is exactly the severity we are concerned about.