Isn't the problem about this PRISM and other similar schemes, due to economic reasons? I mean, hey! These companies have to have, a registered office in some country, if its a big country, you get direct political pressure, and if not, the small country is given a small compensation (big one for it) to get the things moving.<p>Now this pressure is somehow made possible thanks to the profit motive of these companies, because they have on the line tax structures, say facebook has Ireland (?), so the U.S govt may have used the option available to any govt in this case:<p>Declare it abuse of law<p>or<p>Declare it a clever strategy, they can't do anything about.<p>So a few heads are cleared, some resignations are made, few whistle-blowers emerge, and you have the perfect recipe of social outrage.