All it takes is one word in an entire message to get that email, fax, or voice message searched through, and our addresses revealed, whether it has anything to do with destruction and terrorism or not. With this type of surveillance, people around the world have more protection sending things through the mail than they do sending them over the internet, or even talking on the phone. Things people write in messages would not be used against them in court with out some sort of court order is issued. Until Barr had introduced the new Digital Privacy Laws, the government was abusing this power. The NSA sure isn't saying anything.
Intelligence agencies have access to good cryptographic technology.
So do the big arms and drug traffickers. So do defense contractors, oil companies, and other corporate giants. But ordinary people and local and alternative political organizations mostly have not had access to affordable ways of protect their privacy. Privacy is a right like any other. You have to exercise it or risk losing it.