US Government Illegally Spying On Citizens?

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This is all pretty scary and if true quite worrisome, but it makes you think: if this is really the level of access and control that these agencies have, how is it possible that there are still "secret"  groups around? 

How come they are not able to locate terrorists more efficiently? 

Possibly it's just me who doesn't see other alternatives at the moment, but this could mean:

1) Maybe this technology is not so reliable or advanced;

2) if it is, then they either

2.a) don't care to search for and act against terrorists, because they already know who and where they are, being part of the same "network";

2.b) are more interested in spying and controlling the population of regular Joe's rather than anything else. 

So, basically a regular citizen could be more affected and in trouble than a real terrorist. 

 

Either way, not good at all.