> Mass surveillance is very expensive in order to be effective. Not if done right, according to William Binney who worked on designing the systems that eventua

> Mass surveillance is very expensive in order to be effective. Not if done right, according to William Binney who worked on designing the systems that eventually (d)evolved to what Snowden leaked information about. That was re: (actual) national security - but the same mechanisms are at play: if you can record what you need to achieve a stated goal for 250m - why do that if you can spend N billion on a less efficient system? Compared to manual policing, automated surveillance is a really cheap way to run a police state. Now, if the goal is to minimise crime, as opposed to maximise catching criminals (which really should be a means to an end, not a goal in itself) - better welfare, psychic health services and after school activities are probably the way to go...