Indeed. This is the obvious issue every seems to be skirting over. Even the mass media seems not as out rages as it easily could be. Problem is we can never know to what extent this may or may not happen. What is needed is a high ranking politician to come out, admit to something awful and go on record to being black mailed.

See, I cant believe that you get to politician age and have a perfect record. I cant believe that the security services would be interested in politicians back grounds. And now we see the mechanism to get all the information they need to comprehensively check them out. So, I almost cant understand why a security service would not raise such issues with prospective politicians, high ranking business men, media, etc. It would be negligent not to. Well, with out saying opr threatening anything, such people know that the security services have something damaging on them which could be leaked. They don't need to be told, do they? Such people are fairly bright. The implications are obvious. Tow the line, don't dump on the security services. And if asked to support some evil new power, well........

To my mind the blackmail circle and potential to select politicians, and others is too obvious.