Re: Yes, they really seized them
"It's all rather reminiscent of the various 5-eyes spooks mass-spying on each others citizens because technically they can't mass-spy on their own."
Technically, yes, but with the focus on mass-spying on each others businesses for the purpose of determining how they might acquire more power (money) for themselves. Ordinary citizens are of little interest to either. I think that in government circles this is known as being 'allies'.