Intelligence Services in Collecting Data Shock

In international news is the report of a guy who leaked classified information that shows the intelligence community getting vast amounts of data about internet and cell phone use from the major internet companies.  As I understand it, and I haven't spent a huge amount of time looking into it, the NSA gets metadata looking for suspicious patterns (like someone calling Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia) and THEN getting a warrant to explore individual use. This has caused a huge outcry about privacy, the US government is accused of investigating people without cause or warrant.

Point 1.  Metadata isn't privacy related.  Collecting information about the number of drivers who cross the border isn't an invasion of privacy and finding suspicious behavior (i.e. a large number of Colombian nationals going back and forward across the border) should lead to a criminal investigation.

Point 2.  Investigation of an individual's private record still requires a warrant (although a warrant from a secret court).

Point 3.  Point 1 and 2 are irrelevant because if you believe the US government intelligence community wouldn't gather all of this evidence anyway, regardless of its legality, I applaud your naivety. After all the US government murders and tortures people I still remember clearly that within 24 hours of 9/11/2001 the NSA reporting on specifics from the cell phone conversations of the hijackers. 

Point 4.  My personal belief about the morality of whistle blowing is that if the leaker has a reasonable belief that a crime was being committed then they should be free from prosecution.  otherwise they should be prosecuted.

This whole thing is of little interest to me beyond this.  The scandal is overblown, they would do it anyway, and there are much worse things going on that are right out there in public with less outcry.