[dredmorbius]

1. The compensation is provided for in the surveillance state legislation which authorized unconstitutional surveillance of American residents, as well as unlimited surveillance of noncitizens outside the US. To that extent, the payments are no real surprise, to the small number of people who've paid attention to this fiasco from the beginning. Yes, awareness has grown post-Snowden.

2. The payments are compensation for costs of complying with mandatory legal orders. To that extent, they likely aren't the reason why Internet companies are complying, but since they must, their costs are covered.

Of course, they may also be full and willing participants, or could be getting dragged kicking and screaming into this. I've heard stories of varying levels of persuasion across the full spectrum.

However both my points are mentioned clearly within the article, if not well articulated in the headline.