1: Is our technology taking us closer to the world of Big Brother? 1984 provides a cautionary tale about the potential of surveillance technology to allow an authoritarian government to control the population. Presently, current technology — including smartphones, webcams, GPS tracking, internet-connected home appliances, and many other items — is being used to make daily life more convenient. However, each of these is potentially a very powerful surveillance technology that the totalitarian government of 1984 would have been overjoyed to use. In what ways does 1984 suggest that we should be worried that our use of electronic devices could someday lead to totalitarian control? If Big Brother really might use our electronics to watch us, what could we do to stop it? In supporting your arguments, use evidence from the novel, reliable sources, and your own experiences.
