It's not a short term solution if you scale the strength of the encryption against the 'cost' of decrypting it and the speed of the technology available.
So, when you encrypt with today's algos, and it gets stored by the NSA, it will become cheaper for them to decrypt it with every month that passes, because they will be able to decrypt today's encryption with tomorrow's technology and financial means.
So in my eyes, that means we're pretty much f*cked without fundamental change.
I know this is beside the point though. What I mean to say, is what can be done other than encryption and using tor-like networks for anonymity?
Nobody can be sure that they are/n't being watched, period. Heck, if it wasn't for Edward Snowden we'd still be none the wiser.
Whose to say there aren't dozens of other programs in place that aren't in the public eye?
It's not like you can even opt-out of holding accounts with large tech companies targeted by PRISM since it's easy for them to just tap your network traffic through ISPs.
As long as there is a government, nobody can be sure whether we are or aren't being watched. What 'fundamental change' could be made that would stop this?
Instead of that 1 point-of-failure-and-corruption that we have today.
That way, "government" really belongs to those who it is supposed to serve: the People.
PS: "Decentralization" is the word I was looking for. Just like the Internet is supposed to be used, in order to remain sane.
Not to minimize the magnitude of the acheivement here, but I do think the NSA exerts considerable effort to avoid being seen doing most of the things -- including the most astonishing things -- they do. Its a pretty key part of their mission.