One way out of the dilemma was suggested last August by Nick Hoffman, a geologist at La Trobe University in Melbourne.

ECONOMIST: Martian chronicles

Perhaps, suggested Deborah Mattinson and Nick Pickles, of Big Brother Watch, politicians should ask people first before listening in on their online conversations.

BBC: Why not let social media run the country?

Labour AM Joyce Watson and Conservative Nick Ramsay both suggested introducing money management into the school curriculum so that children learn of the dangers involved with credit cards and loans from an early age.

BBC: Debate on payday loan companies