I think most countries spy on their citizens and a lot of the same countries probably don't want other countries doing the same due to possible unwanted intel leaks in government and corporate sectors.
Not saying it is okay. Pointing out that even if hypocritical there's generally a strategic reason for countries to deter international spying. Would be quite a puzzling decision for any country to provide an open door for other countries to spy on them.
Trying to set barriers seems logical when it comes to outsiders. But, spying by its nature is constant attempts to sneak past barriers, so attempts aren't going to stop. It'd just be called collaboration instead of spying if information was shared freely and spying would be unnecessary.
Maybe we have a different definition of deter. I don't see it as stop, but trying to make it less easier. Why would spies stop trying to spy? I don't expect that number to change. If it did that would be some pitiful spies.
That's with trusted parties where that type of collaboration is less likely to happen between parties that are hostile to each other. I would not expect blank country to trust any blank adversary countries software and instead be wary of their motives and back doors, and they would be smart not to with both sides seeking each other harm.
I don't think you understand that I am viewing this from how sides that see each other as potential threats view and treat each other. Not talking about countries that are already collaborating as if they were allies.
In case you don't understand. I am not claiming that countries do not spy on their own citizens and seek methods to spy even more on them. I'm talking about how countries can react to countries they label as adversaries.
The funny thing is, that whole thing just proved that the spying didn't work. Trump was still almost killed. So the spying and mass surveillance did still not prevent that.
I guess they should stop violating everybody's privacy, but obviously they don't care.
On the other hand if the number keeps going down it helps strengthen hope that it can go down to 0. When these things happen some apparatus gets left behind on how to do it a again for rogue actors inside the country too.