Privacy should always be protected. There are enough fine prints and bylaws to confuse people today that we shouldn't have to worry about being exposed just by picking up our phones or updating our status. By that I mean, our society has become a place where everything is supposed to be easy when in reality it's not. Technology is not always simplifying things. So no, even if the means are there, people should not be sacrificed for the greater good in this case. PRISM is a dangerous software. I'm not saying they were going to, but taken a step further, who knows what other areas they could have used it for?

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” ― Benjamin Franklin

@Strawberry Shortcake said:

The film raises a serious dillema between the two values. How far would you be willing to give up your privacy in favor of protecting your country from hostilities?

It is an amazing tool if it is anything like what we see in this flick. Imagine if used in law n order, damn the impact it would or could have. I agree, the dilemma is huge. Was I in charge I would probably be no different from the current leaders except to perhaps use it even more. I think it is essentially inevitable in a society driven by technology. One way to handle it is to be open about it.... And they are to a degree, I guess. Another way is to automate it completely so only computers ever spy and based upon obvious crimes (or indication of crimes), it will be screened through several of AI until alerted to a human.... this way, perhaps....? To think the world will not or never use it, is naive.

The internet is a complete s***show, where crackpot theories across the political spectrum are cultivated and given oxygen - including by foreign agents. I think Snowden was correct to take a stand at that time, but history is showing that some degree of monitoring and regulation on the internet is beneficial, and that the anononymity of the internet emboldens the unhinged.

Personally I would either have anonymity and lots of monitoring OR make anonymity illegal and have no routine monitoring. If people had to log in as real, traceable people to use the internet, (like when using a landline, or attending somewhere in person) - they would massively restrain their conduct and behave more decently.

Well, such a way of things which is shown in movie is good to predict big crimes, but why should the simple users suffer? Ofc I know that if I upload something even in a secret conversation, there's a risk that it will go public, but I don't want it. Seems like Utopia p2p offers real security, but it's too young and requires time to prove the real encryption. On the whole, be ready to face Big Brother.