1984, a novel written by George Orwell, is about two characters who try to hide their illicit love affairs from the various spying methods they are exposed to. Two lovers are never safe due to the presence of cameras and microphones embedded in their streets, workplaces, and homes. People in America today are skeptical that the government is spying on them or invading their privacy. The government can easily monitor any person using their personal devices today. They can also be helped by us taking photographs of our everyday lives, and then posting them on-line for all to see.
George Orwell’s blood-curdling predictions about where society is headed correspond with the controversial topic of the unknown if our devices are being monitored, surveillance on the streets, and the use NOC spies. Although the government’s surveillance methods in America today are not as extreme as those used in 1984 by party members, they do have the ability to monitor a particular area. These cameras can be found in New York, in banks or jewelry shops. Their purpose is to detect crime and dispatch law enforcement officers in time.
There are more surveillance cameras being made every year. The amount of data that these devices collect has been increasing annually, going up from 2000 petabytes last year to around 2500 petabytes this year. This means that Netflix’s current users can simultaneously stream 567 petabytes worth of ultra high-definition content. This might make you wonder if this is the same as the torrent of hidden microphones and cameras in 1984. After all, the cameras can prevent crime. The problem comes when the cameras serve to control rather than help the people. Our main characters can’t have a conversation with each other without being monitored by Big Brother party members unless they are in an area that microphones cannot be placed. “Yes. Take a look at these trees. There isn’t enough space to store a mickey in there. Orwell 119: “Besides, it’s been here before.” Although they weren’t breaking any laws according to today’s standards of conduct, our characters had to keep basic conversations secret to avoid revealing their plans or processes to control their people. Orwell 263, “We don’t care about the well-being of others, we only care about power.” Posted atop Oceania’s ministry of truth, the slogan “Freedom from Slavery” serves as a simple reminder that anyone who considers himself independent is doomed. You can get everyone to believe this, and then you get the next slogan, which could be translated as “Ignorance, Strength.” It means that if the party makes everyone aware that they are slaves to government, then their efficiency in creating the social structure they desire increases. The party’s third slogan, “War is Peace,” is a way to change the people’s emotions. Even though Oceania is constantly in conflict situations, everyone is pretending there is peace everywhere. These slogans are used by party members to maintain their absolute power. If the United States government tried a similar strategy to keep its citizens in line, surveillance cameras would be used to stop them from taking aim at the government. Orwell’s prophecies might be closer to becoming a reality.
Millions are scared that someone may be monitoring their devices and phones. Nobody wants anyone looking at their devices, whether they are hackers or the CIA. James Comey, ex-FBI director, answered the question, “Heck yes, hell yeah.” I am mocked for many things. I get much mocked. I hope people lock the doors at night. I have an alarm and I recommend that you use it. Who could have access to our devices through our personal cameras? Your devices could be accessed by government security agencies, such as the NSA, through their in-built backdoors. They can access your messages and phone calls to take pictures of you, as well as read your text messages. Hackers also pose a serious threat to your device via apps or multimedia messages. You can have someone watching your phone and laptop without being aware of it. This is the key to the novel. No one really knows if they’re being watched or heard. O’brien confronts Whinston and this is what they discover when they discuss Whinston’s diary. Orwell 249, “Does your diary allow you to write that two plus two makes four?” Winston knew about the dangers involved in keeping a log, but he wouldn’t keep it if he was aware that others were watching. A voice in irony echoed after Winston, Julia and Charrington as they spoke in Charrington’s room. Orwell 221. “You are the dead,” said an iron voice behind them. The painting fell off their wall, and a telescreen displaying Big Brother’s face was revealed. They did not realize that cameras and microphones were present in the entire room. The novel doesn’t offer any easy criticism or loopholes to this situation because it ended with their capture. It does say that people will not accept the loss in privacy if government decides to put microphones in their private spaces. It is possible that our privacy could be violated by our personal devices. The government could watch you at home if they wanted, just as 1984.
These are the men who pretend to be waiters, businessmen, or store clerks, but in fact they are trying to gather classified information. They are the ones that make people nauseous and think the government is always watching. It’s well known that the government uses spying to gain information on other countries. In 2010 the Chinese government ended CIA spying operations. It killed or jailed nearly a dozen people in just two year. Why shouldn’t the Chinese government spy on other nations? Already, microphones are attached to undercover officers of police to allow them to penetrate drug deals or human trafficking operations. There was a thought police group that would spy on Oceania. They were secret cops who would spy on Oceania’s citizens. Some didn’t even realize they existed. When Winston and Julia are taken into Charrington’s bedroom, this secret group of people appears. Winston realized that he was looking at someone from the thought police for the first and only time in his entire life (Orwell 224). Winston was then able to see that Charrington had been part of the thought-police all along. This confirms that 1984’s thought police were well concealed among the everyday working people. This could be linked to “Ignorance IS Strength”, as people do not see any problem with being monitored 24/7/365 by the thought-police, thus adding to their social structure. For the final time, we don’t yet know if the government has secret agencies spying on us. If so, we would be able to enjoy fewer freedoms today than we have now. In the past, secret police have been used to monitor people. One example is the Gestapo in Nazi Germany. It is possible, because it has been done before.
There are many controversial topics surrounding the topic of surveillance cameras and the NSA. These topics align with many George Orwell’s prophecies. Thanks to technology advances such as social media apps and laptops, we all live a more private life. If we don’t think so, we might end up creating a dystopian society just like 1984.
