Wait, you're really gonna call BS on someone who doesn't pin their hopes on the fine line between 'can make a copy' and 'makes a copy?'

You realize the agencies have been using a bizarro definition of surveillance where they can capture everything and it's only surveillance once an agent listens to it? ( http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/201... )

Snowden says they can do it. ISP sources confirm the government is trying to do it, but they are forbidden from disclosing the exact nature of what is done. You're really going to believe the people who have been busted lying about it and say anyone who doesn't is not concerned with 'accuracy?'

And what does metadata mean, anyway? If the government stores everybody you've been in a picture with, or who's looked at your pictures, but doesn't store the picture, is that really supposed to make us feel better?

That's PRISM, one of tens of programs that exist. Look up XKEYSCORE, for an example that does include mirroring "all" internet traffic. Pot and kettle; make sure you read everything, and don't get caught in their "Oh no we shut down that specific program a long time ago!" plausible deniability schemes that neglect to mention the 7 other programs they run that do the same thing.

I think it's unlikely that the NSA is actually storing all photo's uploaded to Facebook long-term, of course.

I'm just saying that "ordinary people" will follow what us geeks say, even when we're slightly wrong, because our guesses are much better than their guesses.

It's the least untruth.