Examples Of Privacy Violations In 1984 By George Orwell

Although you might believe you have your privacy within your home, you do not. Imagine the government being involved in all aspects of your life. The government has the ability to see all that is contained in your electronic devices. Government Agencies can see and hear everything that is going on without the owners of the devices knowing they are listening or watching. The privacy violations Americans experience today are similar to the privacy violations in 1984 because of television, electronic devices, and cameras. This has and will forever go on but the people will not have any knowledge of it, it will be in secret.

Throughout the novel, 1984, Orwell describes how the government controls everyone but the difference from today is that in 1984 it’s not hidden. They have screens everywhere (telescreen) with Big Brothers face, which gave you no privacy. In 1984 it shows, “any sound that Winston made above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up… so long as he remained within the field of vision of the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard” (Orwell. Page 3), this shows how Winston is unable to have privacy which also contains to everyone else around him. There are a few places where you are not watched but you have to be aware of your surrounds to

not be caught. If you are caught they will send you to room 101 or be put on blast. Which is a punishment for their actions and who wants to get punished when you are just being a human.
Not only in today do we use television we use computers which are a way more useful and advanced than the devices in 1984.

“FBI said it has switched to unspecified commercial software to eavesdrop on computer traffic during investigation…” (Tyson, Page 84). This statements tells us on how we the people did not arrange for this. The government just went and provided us with tracking devices and we were told from the FBI the use was for investigation purposes. Which is very wrong, they use it to spy on us and see what we said. For example if we were to write anything about the president they would get an alert but that is not even a investigation they are just being part of our

privacy.
Christina DesMarais also explains how we don't have privacy. In the article that was published in 2012 (This Smartphone Tracking Tech Will Give You The Creeps), years later from the novel 1984. The difference is the government has made is more secretive from then. The article, This Smartphone Tracking Tech Will Give You the Creeps tells you companies are using technology such as smartphones to track everything being done and where you are located. In the article the show you ways to to not, “... if you don’t want an entity knowing the location of your mobile device, you should shut it off or ditch it completely” (DesMarais, Page 75). This means surveillance technology actually exists and currently being put to use similar to the novel, 1984 the one difference is you can get rid of it.
The surveillance capabilities used by Big Brother, “In the far distance a helicopter skimmed down between the roofs, hovered for an instant like a blue bottle, it was the patrol police snooping into people’s windows” (Orwell, Page 2). This shows the danger they would take in order to watch people not only to the people in the helicopter but the ones being watched. This follows in with the cameras put in every stores of today. They watch all every moment you make in a store and if they see something they don’t agree with, they will chase you down and call the police on you. Which can be dangerous in many ways and for many people as well.
Now, if Big Brother is really watching us, we can stop him by getting rid of devices you might think, but in today’s society, “All sorts of mobile devices on the market… are location aware” (DesMarais. Page 72). Also we rely on our devices that we won’t ever get rid of them.
Overall, there is an extent to where technology in our present day society is parallel to that of where Orwell’s vision of 1984. In 1984 George Orwell tells how privacy is scarce and how the government controls our lives in a totalitarian government. As well shown in all the other examples provided, throughout many years till this day we do not have any privacy but are told we do. You can live in a place where the government is completely democratic or totalitarian, but you see anyone can monitor your every step and it continues to becoming easier every year.