When I was in University I was pointed towards a book that might be of interest to me.

When I was in University I was pointed towards a book that might be of interest to me. The book was “1984” by George Orwell and upon reading it became a favourite of mine. For those that haven’t heard of this literary work before, the book is the story of Winston Smith and his perception of life; his intellectual rebellion against the “all seeing” Party and his consequent imprisonment, interrogation, torture, and re-education.

The character Winston Smith has no privacy. His apartment equipped with two-way telescreens, so that he may be watched or listened to at any time. Written correspondence is routinely opened and read by the government before it is delivered and figures for all types of production are grossly exaggerated (or simply invented) to indicate an ever-growing economy, when the reality is the opposite.

It’s a fantastic book that I urge you to read as it outlines some key issues that we are seeing unfold today. I have only one quarrel with the text; Orwell was an optimist.

The year is 2013 and I have no privacy. My computer, mobile phone and gaming consoles have webcams that can be accessed by government bodies. My private email…