The CIA, like many other intelligence agencies, has a pretty interesting approach when it comes to the information they gather. Metadata, which are those data that describe other data (like who communicated with whom, when, and from where), can be super valuable to them.

Imagine you have a text message between two people. The content of that message might be something trivial, like "How's it going?", but the metadata can reveal communication patterns, connections between people, and even networks of contacts. This is what helps them better understand relationships and behaviors without needing to read every single message.

So yes, in many cases, metadata can be considered more valuable than the actual content. It allows them to conduct broader analyses and gain strategic insights without getting lost in the details of every conversation. It's like having a general overview of the big picture without getting bogged down in the specifics!