Big Brother

George Orwell’s novel 1984 depicts a totalitarian state that constantly monitors its citizens, even in their private homes. Devices that cannot be switched off are installed everywhere, both spreading propaganda and collecting information simultaneously: ‘Big Brother is watching you!’ Language is also strictly controlled and systematically simplified (Newspeak) to prevent critical thinking. This control extends even into the mind, where any dissenting thoughts are brutally sanctioned by the thought police.

Data protection advocates have long warned of the erosion of privacy and the development of a ‘transparent society.’ Since Edward Snowden revealed the extent of global surveillance and spying practices by secret services in 2013, these warnings have become more relevant than ever.