content: This means that small local companies have a niche to target instead of just wilting away.  Then they might grow.  This also means that the companies will have a valid reason to engage in practices that promote your privacy (to maximize customer value) instead of it being considered willful obstruction of justice.  This is really key in the apple case.  Apple has a right to pursue their customers interests including before the law. I think it's funny when people quote Snowden's programs so much.  Those are just the ones he reveiled.  They existed before he reveiled them and many many more exist.  Instead of thinking about it as a few problematic programs you wish didn't exist think of it instead as the feds are able to do whatever they want.  If it doesn't hold up in court they don't have to use it in court.  If they have you they can issue a warrent and obtain constitutionally allowable things (vaguely constitutional).  The government has the sense that it can do whatever it wants and that's the broader problem.  Snowden revalations are about 10% of the problem.  The FBI is a much bigger problem than NSA by far.  Forget the NSA.  And they haven't had their programs leaked.  Frankly they are too numorous and ill defined to leak.