Even what they say is just the icing on the cake. The actual cake is the big picture.
Every digital device linked to a network can be hacked easily at the corner office of intelligence office if the have the right tools and equipment. They just put the coffee and download, use the camera and mic remotely. They can even make calls, send texts and log in to any site on your device remotely. So ask yourself unaficha nini? During South Sudan recent civil wars, machar people got arrested and charged on specific issues. They denied them but were given exact transcript of their texts, WhatsApp etc. Locally that will be our NIS and I'm glad because they are a professional body. DCI doesn't and that is why they run around arresting bloggers and chase to get their devices.
Secondly the intertwined interest between tech companies and spy Intel agencies. All this glorified silicon valley tech firms give backdoor access to usa nsa to their data, servers and users. They don't even hack, they log in. They just pretend it doesn't exist or happen. Understand why. Do you think a government will allow private companies to have the entire big data on everyone and everything they do and they are not in it? There is someone who usually say Facebook, twitter etc are private Intel companies disguised as free internet companies. Then I thought about it. They give you a free service, you agree to all terms and conditions upfront to have your page registered. That give them full access to every digital footprint you have. You network with everyone. They invest on huge server farms, pay developers, programmers, users, staff, promotions, maintenance, etc for $ billions they pay themselves. All to recoup by advertisers fees and have this big data as commodity to trade and manipulate whole society's.