@cicerone imposter,
CI, you know as well as I do for every article claiming NSA's actions are illegal, there is another one saying it is not. It has been the same with court opinions. The issue won't be settled until it goes to the Supreme Court. Some in congress might say it is illegal, but they passed the Patriot Act again and again and they did so even after the "Snowden revelations." It is the government position that the Patriot Act gives NSA the power to do what they are doing, we will see if their position holds up in court. If it does not, then they will have modify anything they have not already changed.
As I have stated numerous times, I see nothing wrong in data collecting and the other measures NSA has taken to try and keep us safe. I see it as the lesser of two evils. But if the SC rules it unconstitutional, then I can live with that as well. Just as I live with other rulings I might disagree with.
I do however think we shouldn't be spying on allies unless there is some reason to think the government of some of those allies are complicit in terrorist actions. Otherwise, I see no reason to spy on them. But we do, and it turns out, at least one other country does too and I imagine there are others. So really, there is no reason for other countries to keep on about this spying stuff and the US all the time as though we are the only ones who spy on other countries.