[chkaloon]

But the government is financed by taxpayers, so the taxpayers will end up being the payers of any fines the government is liable for. It's circular.

[liketochill]

Only if all taxpayers get an equal settlement. And even then perhaps that money would have been spent on another group: “sorry no fighter jets this year money went privacy lawsuits”. So some taxpayers could come out ahead in the event of privacy lawsuits.

[chkaloon]

I didn't say that all taxpayers would come out equivalently. I said taxpayers would pay.