RE:"Handing all their users data straight over to the government............
...............without any objections whatsoever."
The sad thing is that one cannot rely on any part of the media to report these matters without having their own commercial and/or political agenda. Anyone who has read "Guardian Tech" in recent years will have noticed that they are regularly bottom kissing very friendly to Cupertino (and many of their posters have raised questions concerning a possible commercial relationship with the fruity company). Their headline this morning would have given the ordinary punter the impression that it is largely Redmond who is cooperating with the NSA when we are (here at any rate) aware that this is far from the case.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-collaboration-user-data
They put this on their front page* - I have yet to see the same coverage of the major tech companies, "cooperation" being given the same prominence. I am not for one moment excusing MS' behaviour, just wondering who is pursuing what agenda.
*Normally very unusual for a tech piece at the Graun, unless it is a friendly piece of puff on behalf of you-know-who.