[pepperdog]

Anyone who has any expectation of their phone calls, their Internet postings, their medical records, their legal matters, their email or their snail mail remaining private is very foolish and has been for years!

[saleman]

“Anyone who has any expectation of their phone calls, their Internet postings, their medical records, their legal matters, their email or their snail mail remaining private is very foolish and has been for years”

Surely, but there are criminal penalties in place for most if not all of your examples. Internet postings, not so much. Medical records Doctors are, as of now, severely restricted in releasing them. E-mail, I guess it could be hacked but I sure don't want the government to be able to read mine without a warrant. Snail mail. Strict laws against tampering with the mail. Legal matters. Public record but your attorney can't disclose your private conversations, etc. etc.

Anyway that's kinda the point isn't it? If a private individual did what the Government is doing or is capable of doing, then it would be a criminal act. Government, not so much.