Anytime someone says, "...just a few bad apples" they show a complete misunderstanding of the roots of the saying.
The origin is that you should not let a few bad apples spoil a barrel, because if you pack a barrel of apples for the winter and leave a bad apple in it, it will spoil the barrel. Therefore any time you find a bad apple, INSPECT EVERYTHING CAREFULLY.
Today it has reversed meanings, "Oh just a couple of bad apples", and this version is almost always wrong. Where you've found one bad apple, there are likely to be more. Do not leap to make excuses, leap to investigate carefully. That is the healthy response.
As for spying, give people access, and incentives for accessing, and I guarantee that it will be abused. Oh, most Americans won't be targeted. But anyone running for office whose policies those in power don't like...?
The origin is that you should not let a few bad apples spoil a barrel, because if you pack a barrel of apples for the winter and leave a bad apple in it, it will spoil the barrel. Therefore any time you find a bad apple, INSPECT EVERYTHING CAREFULLY.
Today it has reversed meanings, "Oh just a couple of bad apples", and this version is almost always wrong. Where you've found one bad apple, there are likely to be more. Do not leap to make excuses, leap to investigate carefully. That is the healthy response.
As for spying, give people access, and incentives for accessing, and I guarantee that it will be abused. Oh, most Americans won't be targeted. But anyone running for office whose policies those in power don't like...?