I disagree with that sentiment. As a citizen, I'd like the government to work on my behalf as efficiently as possible and to not work at all otherwise.
So I think the real issue is that there is almost no control or transparency regarding what agencies like FBI or DHS do with the data. This should change. Once there is actual oversight (and no rubber-stamp court) I'll give them the permitted data as efficiently as possible.
Going the other way - allowing them full and uncontrolled access provided they just jump through a few arbitrary hoops to get the data - seems to me would only muddy the waters and increase costs without providing any actual advantage to the citizens.
Control, transparency and check-and-balance are all inconveniences though. Having to ask a judge for warrant is definitely inconvenient, same as proving beyond reasonable doubt (instead of just, let's say probable doubt).
I didn't say that inefficiency should be the goal for the government. However, for certain scenarios, that's the trade off we have to make.
> Going the other way - allowing them full and uncontrolled access provided they just jump through a few arbitrary hoops to get the data
Fortunately, most of the time those "hoops" involves a human in it, hopefully being able to stop bad things from happening. Again, there is no silver bullet, and shitty paper stamping process won't be helping either.
Yes, most effective checks are inconvenient but not all inconveniences are effective checks. My worry is that but focusing on "it must be inconvenient" your setting the priorities wrong. This might just result in a heap of useless labour and frustrated employees - but wouldn't shed any light on which "attack scenarios" you actually defended against, if any.
In some cases, it might make misuse actually easier if the inconveniences affect both agencies and their control instances.
So I think the real issue is that there is almost no control or transparency regarding what agencies like FBI or DHS do with the data. This should change. Once there is actual oversight (and no rubber-stamp court) I'll give them the permitted data as efficiently as possible.
Going the other way - allowing them full and uncontrolled access provided they just jump through a few arbitrary hoops to get the data - seems to me would only muddy the waters and increase costs without providing any actual advantage to the citizens.