Exactly. The people directly designing and coding these surveillance systems are: other software developers! Our peers in the profession. Many of whom probably read (and even post to) HN. If you know someone working on such a system and you disagree ethically, it’s kind of your business to get in their face and challenge them on it. And if you are such a person: The tech hiring market is still pretty strong and robust. There are thousands of other projects out there for you that don’t involve mass-surveilling innocent people. You have options!

I’ve quit jobs in the past over ethical concerns with the project. It is a valid reason, and it just takes courage.