> The reason such things did not come to places like the US in the same way is not because we were incapable of such, but because there was no political interest in it.
That might not be quite right. It might be that the reason such things did not come to the US was because the level of effort was out of line with the amount of political interest in doing it (and funding it). In that case, the existence of more advanced, cheaper surveillance technology and the anemic political opposition to mass surveillance are both problems.
That might not be quite right. It might be that the reason such things did not come to the US was because the level of effort was out of line with the amount of political interest in doing it (and funding it). In that case, the existence of more advanced, cheaper surveillance technology and the anemic political opposition to mass surveillance are both problems.