I am reminded of something I vaguely remember having read about in my local news, many years ago. Something about how a record with the personal numbers (11 digit number afaik) of every citizen in norway, was lost on a cd that was displaced, and presumed lost in a public place. I don't think I am remembering this wrong, but its been so long and I don't have any copy of this.
Presumably, and I am speculating, it is all too easy for me to assume that, one way to circumvent local laws regarding privacy and data protection, is to simply circumvent the presumably very narrow legal language and white washing the illegal sharing of such data, by simply handing it over to other countries governments. Something similar could be done for monitoring traffic, in simply routing local data traffic over another country, thus allowing country B to monitor the local traffic in country A. Sweden is known for having laws that warrant internet traffic monitoring. "FRA" law iirc, or maybe it's just a military institution, unsure. And I think I've learned that the internet doesn't have data sent over the shortest connection based on geograprahpy, data might really go places before ending up at its final destination.
Btw, speaking of money, I remember a couple of times, I had made a small donation (some 10 usd) with my Visa card, and then the bank froze my bank account, which seems like an overreaction. I interpreted it as an act of intimidation simply because of who the money was supposed to go to (nothing criminal or violent or bad), and the bank said they did it because they didn't know who the money went to (money went to a foundation). I suppose I should be glad if my bank puts a stop to mysterious bank transactions, but it seems to me that it is about control, more than providing security. Presumably, banks in can/will be held accountable should money go places where other people don't want it to do, I guess that is sort of ok (if fraud is involved), but I don't know, I basically want to decide for myself where my money goes.
I like donating money on the internet, because if everybody chip in, things gets done. However, I am also conscious that this activity might as well be considered very limited, as it won't solve the world's poverty problems (not my donation activity anyway I would think, as I have limited money anyway), and also that I am no willing to donate too much either. Either way, I don't donate to feel better about myself, but to well help out when I feel it is ok.