[pc2g4d]

Yes, in previous decades the government could access electronic communications under the third party doctrine[1] that says the fourth amendment only applied to "papers" held by the individual / in their home, not to communications voluntarily placed in the hands of a third party. On the other hand, far less of people's lives was conducted online. I expect that's why no real objections were raised.

Because much intimate communication has moved from in-person/on-telephone/other-instantaneous communications to asynchronous platforms hosted by third parties, in effect much that was "private" is now effectively "public". What once required a warrant now does not. Many things previously subject to protections against unreasonable searches are no longer so protected.

[1]: http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/the_data_question...