[jimktrains2]

I think that part of the issue is that blank surveillance is as easier than surveillaning a single person used to be.

Also, it is possible to build systems where the admins can access the data or metadata. End-to-end encryption, for example parent the admin from seeing the contents of messages. Systems like Tor also prevent any one person from knowing who everyone is and what's saying. Mutual authentication can also help establish that mitm attacks aren't happening, but that's a slightly different problem than when there is access to the back end of the system being used.