[lern_too_spel]

If your point is merely that "data collection has not helped with government transparency," I do not refute it (and I know of nobody who would -- there is no reason that Gmail nor banking nor even the price of tea in China would help with government transparency). That is, however, a rather inane point to make.

[scribu]

> I know of nobody who would

Then you're forgetting about the guy up-thread:

> accountability of governments has increased in response to many of those exact same services (Twitter/YouTube/Facebook/Google).

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9672999

But reading your first comment again, I realize that you were making a different point. Sorry.