Re: So nothing said about screening or processing the data?
Yes it is mainly theatre, but with an added benefit.
Firstly, the theatrical aspect will drive the behaviour modification they are after - scaring people away from accessing information about certain subjects and scaring them from posting information on certain subjects. That is mainly for the benefit of the people who are paying attention. People like us. People who give a shit, and are in a position to do something about it via our tech abilities and the dissemination of that information. The proles and the x factor watchers are asleep, they have already been brainwashed and don't care about any one but themselves, so they are not a threat, nor will they ever be. Most of them don't even know what time it is, let alone the fact they are being dataraped to high heaven and back.
Secondly, they will collect as much data as they practically can, and store as much as they can, and implement systems for the retrieval of that information, best they can. So they will quite merrily go on their way, stocking up on the old hard drives, employing maybe a few more security cleared database experts etc. etc.. - Hell, they'll probably have to build a whole new center like the one in Utah (Intelligence Community Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative Data Center) just to store this crap, but it will happen, they will find a way, and we will pay for it of course.
And this is where the added benefit comes in. After scaring the bejesus out of most of us who know what's going on and getting us to stop being so uppity, they will have the dope on the proles, for enhanced crime detection rates, and for smacking them down if they complain or get a bit uppity themselves. Win/win.
It's a beautifully nefarious plan. Broad in its scope, malevolent in its intent and obviously long planned and thought over. Drip drip drip.
If this is what humanity fought and worked for after all these hundreds of thousands of years, just to get to this point, I don't think I want to be a part of it anymore.
But it's happening. And there is much worse to come. We are the canaries in the coal mine. It seems that it is only us singing (or rather stopping singing, but you get the point) at the moment, and because no one else gives a shit, by the time they find out what has happened to them, it will be too late for everyone.
I blame the terrorists in the government. But I also blame the proles with all their willful ignorance.
Life just changed for everybody. It's just that most people haven't realised it yet. Except us.
<sarcasm>
Good luck in trying to 'wake people up'. You know how that one goes don't you, you smelly autistic narrow minded computer obsessed chicken little with no life and no friends who has cried wolf so many times already (and x factor is still on and the chip shop is still open and free porn is still available and, and)... ???
</sarcasm>