Hysterics choose sides, realists distrust government and commercial interests equally. But the key to evaluating the threat can be summed up in the Senator's ow

Hysterics choose sides, realists distrust government and commercial interests equally. But the key to evaluating the threat can be summed up in the Senator's own words: "private sector entities gathering personal data for marketing and commercial purposes". That's it. I don't want to buy the crap Google and Facebook want to sell me, but I do want to use their services to make my own life easier. I'll keep on benefitting from this unequal relationship until I feel uncomfortable. Government agencies, on the other hand, are not as forthcoming about their motives. "We spy on you to keep you safe?" No you don't. You spy on other people to keep me safe. You spy on me to keep other people safe. Who are these people? Why do they feel threatened by me? Are these people who have a reason to fear me? Should I rather fear them? So no, not never mind the NSA. Or any other three letter agency. There's a world of difference between the transparent and often sleazy motives of commercial entities, and the secretive and often sinister motives of governments, government agencies, and the "patriots" who blindly support them.