Recent articles would suggest that tech firms are spending a lot of money on lobbyists: http://www.wired.com/2015/07/google-facebook-amazon-lobbying/ http://www

Recent articles would suggest that tech firms are spending a lot of money on lobbyists: http://www.wired.com/2015/07/google-facebook-amazon-lobbying/ http://www.wired.com/2015/07/google-facebook-amazon-lobbying... and http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/09/which-tech-companies-spend-the-most-on-lobbying.aspx http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/09/which-tech-... And this database would suggest some tech companies fall into the 5th highest spending industry: https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php?showYear=2015&indexType=i https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php?showYear=2015&inde... So, a the question is, why, despite these efforts are we still seeing this sort of thing? A few reasons, I'd guess... 1) Lobbying efforts by other industries and groups (law enforcement has a vested interest here, for example) 2) A tendency to wanting to look tough on crime and terrorism, especially going into an election year. Moderation and wise restraint are always a tough sell in politics. 3) The Unbearable Asymmetry of Bullshit - politics edition. See http://quillette.com/2016/02/15/the-unbearable-asymmetry-of-bullshit/ http://quillette.com/2016/02/15/the-unbearable-asymmetry-of-... and 4) A propensity on the part of many in government to want to hold more power (closely related to point 2, but more self-serving).