Wait. Hasn't the concept of encryption entered mass consumer consciousness (my grandparents have asked me about it) and have not horrifically damaging events occurred?
Horrifically damaging events have occurred in isolation. The celebrity photo leaks a little while back is a good example. The blame for those leaks wasn't pushed onto Apple and the celebrities security practices, it was placed on the individuals who obtained the pictures. We need more widespread damage with a clear link to lack of encryption. The target breach last year(?) is a good example of a similar event for data security and has led to some political talk about laws with stricter requirements.