> Furthermore, it misses the larger point that all of their data is readily and easily collected by the NSA already.

Such assertions are counterproductive. They ignore actual statements by google regarding their efforts to improve security against US agency snooping, or Apple's somewhat valiant if ultimately fruitless attempts to defend the iPhone's security against national security interests.

We need to specifically call out bad actors and actions, such as Yahoo's eagerness to CC the NSA on all our emails. We also need to reward positive action with praise. Both are methods to provide the incentives for companies to act in our interests: the companies can point to praise to argue that their principled stand makes financial sense, and the employees deserve the recognition by their peer group.

That's what I was asking. What legal authority does Trump and his administration have? What can they do with the powers legally granted to them, both with the NSA, and with private companies directly?

The wider public is completely ignorant about this, and this should be written up and publicized more.