The impact of unchecked surveillance, like bad security, is impossibly difficult to quantify until shit hits the fan long enough for it to inconvenience people. Furthermore it's simple and easy to dismiss serious problems as exceptions to the rule, for example Snowden was branded as "very smart" after there were claims that a "high school dropout" evaded NSA's internal security systems and successfully escaped to Hong Kong.
If there are egregious violations of privacy and freedom then we won't be seeing the admissions of guilt/reform, but instead we'll be seeing recriminations and diversions. There needs to be punitive measures in place to deter that kind of negligence and recklessness, in addition to the punishment for actual violations.
Rehabilitation and recidivism are very serious issues that need to be focused on, especially because those who disregard privacy will do so on an ideological level -- it's part of their personal belief system.
If there are egregious violations of privacy and freedom then we won't be seeing the admissions of guilt/reform, but instead we'll be seeing recriminations and diversions. There needs to be punitive measures in place to deter that kind of negligence and recklessness, in addition to the punishment for actual violations.
Rehabilitation and recidivism are very serious issues that need to be focused on, especially because those who disregard privacy will do so on an ideological level -- it's part of their personal belief system.