Accessing data akin to spying

Your revelation (May 24) that State bodies access record levels of our private data is alarming.

Surely that is an abuse of another kind. The privacy expected by any law abiding citizen who is already enduring laws and regulations of all kinds imposed by this State. Is there actual freedom, the freedom so dearly bought?

When we heard of this practice in the days of the Iron Curtain we were appalled, and quickly pointed out the malady. Have our authorities developed a culture of peeping toms?