Using government powers to protect the government from foreign subversion, more like. Seems like the intelligence community's exact mission, whatever you may think of the methods.
Either way Obama set many terrible precedents that will be used.
If you're wondering about the timing, if you assume my premise is correct, to investigate Trump's Russia connections, it's to give them elevated power to investigate that before Trump hampers their ability to do so when in power. He's been openly hostile towards them when they've brought up the connections.
In the broader sense? It's a debate about how much the executive branch should expand surveillance powers, and I'm probably on the same side as you in that respect (privacy is at risk, persecution is a risk if we increase surveillance too much).