Flutterby™! : damaging public debate

Your regular reminder that most secrecy is not operational, but to prevent discussion of the military-industrial complex: Leaked memos reveal GCHQ efforts to keep mass surveillance secret:

A briefing memo prepared for the board of GCHQ shortly before the decision was made public revealed that one reason the agency was keen to quash the proposals was the fear that even passing references to its wide-reaching surveillance powers could start a "damaging" public debate.