It’s not just the surveillance, although I suppose the electronic paper trail is of course surveillance, but I never expected the electronic paper trail to be what it is now. Orwell would certainly have seen it Orwellian. My view when I read the book was a camera every ten feet.
We're pretty much there. Walk around any medium to big city in this country and you're under video surveillance. Look around at most intersections and you'll see cameras too.As for your internet viewing history, emails, cell phone conversations, online purchases, it's all permanently recorded and stored. IMO we're way beyond anything that Orwell could have even imagined.
So far this system is only being by the police for solving crimes; yet its mere presence is a threat to liberty. It's ability to be delivered on a sliver platter to any tyrant who gains power in this country should be of concern to us all. Yet it's not.