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Keoni Kang
English 12A
Cindy Rogers
July 15, 2016
A4 1984 Essay
The book 1984, by George Orwell, is about the life of a citizen in a totalitarian
government. In the story, the government monitors every action of their citizens, even
in the privacy of their own homes. It also tries to control the way people think by
displaying propaganda on the news, rewriting history books to fit their agenda, and
arresting anyone who disagrees with the parties ideologies. Many people are claiming
these fictional government practices are becoming a reality, with the invention of
surveillance cameras and webcams being used to monitor civilians. People now fearing
for the privacy and fourth amendment rights.
On May 20, 2013, a CIA agent named Edward Snowden leaked classified
information from the National Security Agency (NSA), including intelligence about global
surveillance. The data provided proves the American, British, Canadian, and Australian
governments can watch your every move via surveillance cameras, webcams, phone
cameras, traffic cameras, and more. They can also monitor your emails, social media
accounts, text messages, phone calls, and bank accounts. Many people were outraged
when they discovered their government was looking at their private accounts, claiming

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their privacy had been violated and the government is leaning towards George Orwell's
vision of totalitarianism. On the other hand, many consider government supervision to
be necessary to keep up with the new technology being developed to monitor terrorist
acts.
With the increase of new electronic devices, there will be people who use them
for criminal or terrorist activities. For example, the terrorist group ISIS recruits its
members through social media sites. Many times the internet is used to buy and sell
illegal drugs, firearms, hitmen services, and more; this type of activity is unreachable
through normal means. Instead, one must use The Onion Router (TOR), which is a web
browser that enables users to search the internet anonymously, the government cannot
track you down when you use this web browser. The most common type of internet
crime is hacking, hackers will often do all sorts of things like release personal
information about someone else, reveal inappropriate pictures, or even call the police to
send a SWAT team to someones house. With all these criminal and terrorist activities,
it is no wonder the government is monitoring its citizens.
Its reasonable why people can get scared of the government watching them,
they could get arrested for acting suspicious. To be realistic, it is very unlikely for you to
get arrested for illegal crimes on the internet, you would be surprised with how much
people get away with online; however, take Edward Snowden for example, he got away
with releasing highly classified information on the NSA, he is now facing the
consequences, hiding from the US government, never able to see his friends and family
again. In comparison with 1984s government, the consequences from Snowdens

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crimes are not as ferocious compared to the cruel punishment Winston Smith received
for the so called double think /double standards of thinking against the party. Although,
our government seems to be extremely fair when people are actually respectful, and
follow the rules of our democratic government; todays temperament with citizens
believing in false oppression of race, gender, and sexual orientation, that are abusing
their rights, face the consequences for people who chose not to follow the rules of
equality because they are abusing their first amendment right of free speech. If you do
not follow the rules, you are arrested and given a free trial, you will be considered
innocent until proven guilty. We should appreciate our democratic society where
everyone can have a day in court.