The issue I brought forward most clearly was that of mass surveillance, not of surveillance in general.

Citizens have to fight suppression of information on matters of vital public importance. To tell the truth is not a crime.

Hong Kong has a reputation for freedom in spite of the People's Republic of China. It has a strong tradition of free speech.

These activities can be misconstrued, misinterpreted, and used to harm you as an individual even without the government having any intent to do you wrong.

It's interesting that you mention [Andrei] Sakharov's creative axis - he had produced something for the government that he then realized was something other than he intended. That's something [NSA whistleblower] Bill Binney and I share.

My perspective is if you're not willing to be called a few names to help out your country, you don't care enough.

If I wanted to see your emails or your wife's phone, all I have to do is use intercepts. I can get your emails, passwords, phone records, credit cards.