[alexandrerond]

The engineers working on those projects may grasp that there are problematic sides to the wider-scope of what they do, but they are not the ones running the show and they are just trying to do their job. The ones running the show usually have very good compelling reasons to keep running it (national security, avoid company crisis and keep jobs for many families.. etc) even when things are illegal or borderline, and usually can diffuse responsibility in a larger board, subordinates etc...

In short, most people won't perceive their job as unethical at all. Those who see the problems, won't relate them to the tiny bit they work on but to the whole that doesn't depend on them (and are probably right).

And those who get enough remorse to stop doing their tiny bit, will be replaced by someone else who will happily continue it anyway.

So I don't blame the engineers working on those systems despite the results being so immoral.

Appeals to ethics are not very useful. Otherwise most of the Tech giants of this world, not only the NSA, would have an awful time finding someone to work for them.