&#62; I bet the intelligence agencies have full bulk data access and probably a replication of all major email and social networking providers' data for mining purposes.<p>&#62; I imagine the other three-letter agencies have their own versions whose existence is not yet on the record.<p>&#62; We might not know all the details yet, but the writing is very clearly on the wall.<p>This is what I'm talking about; some of that is clearly bunk (the replication thing). As is your suggestion of unadultered access to Google and other companies <i>with their knowledge</i>.<p>As someone who works in law enforcement you would imagine that I would notice some of these things. Especially as I also work in computer security too.<p>But I dont see it Im afraid :)<p>&#62; There are no barriers whatsoever to law enforcement or national security services getting whatever data they want, whenever they want, with no oversight whatsoever.<p>This is pretty incorrect - at least in the US law enforcement areas I am fairly familiar with (FBI, CIA). Beurocracy is a killer even in the world of hush.