I know you are somewhat joking. But there is an undertone of truth in what you say. Oppressive state surveillance in the USSR (commonly verging on persecution

I know you are somewhat joking. But there is an undertone of truth in what you say. Oppressive state surveillance in the USSR (commonly verging on persecution of undesirable groups) was a strong reason for countries breaking away from it between 1990 and 1991, when the union collapsed. Lithuania was arguably the first one. The privacy protections we see today are a reaction to some extent, but Lithuanians enjoy them. It was not an over-reaction. It would be wise to use the examples of heavy-handed state surveillance in history in arguments for privacy laws. The US did this to argue for their economic model quite effectively. Whether that ultimately is good — I mean that some people have become so afraid of communism that they can’t agree on some fundamental social welfare systems and duty of care for each other as people — I don’t know. But contrasting liberal capitalism with planned-economy communism was effective in galvanising people towards the former. “Enemy of my enemy is my friend” and all that.