Tech hacks are part of the solution. They are not the only part, of course, but tech solutions help to ensure that the other part of the solution, politics, does not fail. It is not hard for laws to change; it is hard for technology to be replaced, especially when it is standardized and widely used. If the law forbids the government from reading our emails without a warrant, then the email system should be designed to support the law -- e.g. by encrypting messages.