Are government leaks always a bad thing?

When members of congress agree that the government has overstepped its boundaries in regards to invading the public's private information, that it is snooping through our digital records, cell phone & telephone conversations, e-mail, web surfing, etc, without due cause just for the sake of possibly finding someone who is off their radar engaged in possible terrorist & or otherwise illegal activity. The big point here is possible, just like all the searches & scans at airports, how much is too much to ask. The government justifies their actions by saying that, they have prevented terrorist acts, but how do we know this, should we take their word for it. How do we know those pushing for such actions aren't the same radical element in politics today who are against non-Christians, Atheists, immigrants, people of color, gays, & countless other groups. In Texas history books in the schools have been rewritten to edit out Jefferson & other historical figures seen as too controversial for our kids. These political leaders want to edit our Television, our radio, certain magazines, & our music & video games, how long before they start editing & or blocking web sites, not for illegal activity, but for controversial content, or that which goes against their political ideals. How long before we become like North Korea & China, where even google searches & other sources of information from the world at large are blocked, or the companies that run the sites are forced to create special edited versions, where specific information is blocked. Some politicians have agreed that, the Wiki-leaks release of government information may have been a good thing, for they feel the government was stepping over its boundaries, & again with the Edward Snowden case, some politicians agree that the government has violated the rights of the general public. As John Steinbeck said, “Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.” I fear this is behind the government's ever encroaching invasion into our digital lives...