[USS Johnston]

If NSA agents, or agents of any other government agency, approach an internet service provider or phone company and ask for information on an individual, the transfer is "voluntary" in the same way that a shopkeeper "voluntarily" pays protection money to the mobster who says "Nice store you got. Wouldn't want to see anything bad happen to it, would we now?"

HA! Excellent.

[wideawake]

I don't see how this is any different in principle from the local cop asking the local shopkeeper to "please, cooperate" in his investigation.

The local shopkeeper is likely going to cooperate because he wants the local police to think well of him.

This is a tale as old as time, because it is human nature.