It is even worse. The amount of data NSA stores makes them an even juicer target for infiltration, subversion and otherwise gaining access to data they have collected.
This is such a scary side to consider. Most people who are just fine with their own government building dossiers right off the wire, and potentially losing said dossiers in haystacks, don't consider that foreign double-agents will become quite adept at searching the haystacks loyal agents have neglected.
It becomes even more bizarre when you consider that the NSA has been caught tapping foreign nationals and diplomats.
Two countries in conflict may hack the US as a proxy to get at the others communications - with no direct interest in the US at all.
This is a factually possible scenario. It's the unchecked blank check bureaucratic process. This the natural output given such input parameters.
We need a way to make this more real to people:
Dysfunctional projects of grandeur is how organized people respond to no oversight and unlimited funding. They will invent justifications to perpetuate their purpose. This happens through an utter failure of discretion in governments, startups, not-for-profits, wars, corporations... everything.
Preventing it is Our Job to make a functional society.
Exactly. If I was in charge of Chinese or Russian intelligence, I'd have whole buildings full of people dedicated to how to tap the Bluffdale data centre: It'd be fantastic - get all the data without the political risk of trying to gather it yourself and possibly the ability to alter data at will.