> I call baloney on the idea that NSA can keep politicians on its leash simply by knowing their secrets. What if some politicians manage to get an insider peek

> I call baloney on the idea that NSA can keep politicians on its leash simply by knowing their secrets. What if some politicians manage to get an insider peek at the data NSA has ? NSA does not necessarily need to seek power on its own, but it can become a tool of control, usable by people who might want to make use of it. Information is indeed power. The problem with that surveillance program is that it's a secret warchest of data, it's secret because it's purposed for criminal investigations. Anyone who can manage to bribe or have enough influence towards NSA employees could theoretically make unimaginable use of this data. It's having a monopoly on information. It also create distrust in computers in general, which is not necessarily a good thing. The problem is not privacy, the problem is the possibility of small groups having privileged access to mandatory, potential sensitive data about anyone. That data is supposed to be secret because it's for investigative purposes. But it's done on everyone, without warrant, it's a recipe for a huge political mess. This risk is way too high, compared to its advantages. You can't dismiss that risk.