I'd say the reason that the people in power want to be able to collect all information is not to protect the people, but instead to protect themselves and their

I'd say the reason that the people in power want to be able to collect all information is not to protect the people, but instead to protect themselves and their friends in powerful positions. One of the main threats to these large organisations and the people at the top of them ate journalists and whistleblowers. Because those are two groups of people that can provide critical data and reasoning on bad and evil things that are done within such large organisations. So having the ability to find out who said what to whom will allow them to crack down or reporters and journalists before they can get their stories out. And it will allow them to trace and find out who the people are leaking sensitive information outside and deal with them. In some way this is about protecting the people, just not the people we are all thinking of.