New Technology and the Big Brother
With advanced technology, governance, political, and social interaction amongst people has dramatically changed. A few decades ago, technology was the tool used by the totalitarian empires and states to monitor citizens, keep them into the party’s ideologies through propaganda, and ensure effective administration of their dictatorship government. Additionally, the leaders (Big Brothers) punished severely those captured and reported by technological devices preaching against the ruling government and getting engaged with the dissenters. Today, with much technological advancement including Artificial intelligence (AI), surveillance cameras, armed surveillance drones, internet memes, and fake news, data encryption in the police “backdoors”, computer-controlled devices and computer and cellphone tracing; are impacting to people social life and political life differently.
Artificial Intelligence programs help in consolidating government institutions, ideologies, social culture, and political references. The AI programs are further used to reduce administrative burdens, save time, and overly resources. With the AI-enabled devices, accuracy is enhanced and efficiency in government operations. Importantly many risks involved in the manual and human error instances are also greatly reduced. However, despite the efficiency of the Big Brothers, citizens are substantially affected negatively by the installation of the AI machines and devices. For instance, people served through the AI programs are not overly aware of the data collected and how the collected information would be a threat to their employment life and social life. Through the AI programs, the devices may be processing documents and taking cameras and facial recognition of the individual citizen without their consent. Therefore, with the undisclosed functionality of the AI programs, most people are avoiding Big Brothers services and opting for private services that are disclosing the actual data to be collected.
On the contrary, the AI devices and systems have significant positive impacts on the societal relationship with the Big brother. ICT advancement has replaced harassment and torturing by political leaders. For instance, the AI-enabled system has been witnessed vying for political positions in developed countries. Recently Alice, a Russian AI system was a presidential candidate for a general election conducted in the country. Despite the fact Alice lost, he had several votes from the people who believed machines can deliver betters governance compared to the totalitarian ruling method by current leaders. Ideologically, the big brother way of governance and protection to the citizens is affected by political pressures, discriminations, bribing, and corruption. However, with a well-implemented AI-enabled device, instances of discrimination and misuse of public funds may be minimized. With a no corrupt system of government, people will be willing to work with such government and substantially contribute to its revenue.
Surveillance cameras installed in the street by the government are drawbacks to societal privacy. Big brothers have installed the cameras across the streets, supported by security policies. In most instances, robbing and terrorist cases are monitored and assessed and prosecuted based on the recording by the Surveillance cameras. However, despite the security technical support provided by the surveillance cameras, society’s privacy is greatly undermined. In most places, the cameras are placed strategically in social meeting points along the street. Citizens residing in such places are monitored daily by the government officials. For instance, after the world war, Winston smith was arrested after caught on surveillance interacting with Julia and the Desserts in Great Britain (Orwell 13). Undoubtedly, acceding the privacy of innocent citizens is not ethical and should be condemned. Various activists have raised the issues triggering to people avoiding cooperating with big brothers. The invasion of privacy would also limit citizens from attending to their duties productively. Therefore surveillance cameras would gradually distance the citizens from the big brothers.
Modern tracking of computers and cellphones has shortened the gap between the residents and the big brothers. Through the tracking services of the computers, the government can access sensitive information installed in the computers. Some of the main information obtained through the tracking devices include the location of a person, family life, routine and social status of the individuals. Importantly, by accessing the data and the information government can respond to urgent cases by quickly identifying the offender info. Additionally, tracking cell phones have dramatically supported security authorities. Kidnapping cases and theft of cellphones has reduced after the adoption of the tracking devices. Despite the intrusion of privacy, security impact from the tracing of computers and cellphones has improved the citizen and big brother interactions significantly.
It is challenging to seek justice from the intended and the unintended strikes by the drones. Families and friends in politically unstable countries have difficulties reporting the description of the drones attacked them. For instance, Bibi Mamana, a grandmother of nine, was picking vegetables when the drone killed her (Acheson et al., 18). Even though the family made a follow up on why the weapon was targeted to the grandmother, they were never attended according to the law but received apologies and condolences. To ease the cases, families are requested to identify the type of drone responsible; however, the distance would not allow correct identification. In fact, most of the armed drones strike from distances with accuracy enhanced by Ultra-red rays. With humanitarian attacks and unsuccessful compensation, citizens are abandoning the ideologies of leaders supporting the implementation of armed drones.
Fake news has become a symbol of resonating society. Tracing back decades ago, the form of communication, especially by the government, was channeled to trusted platforms only. For instant communication was made through national television, newspapers, and radios only. The limited way of communication enhanced the originality of the information as it spread to the residents of a particular country. However, Today the innovation of multiple platforms has accelerated the spread of news without actual authentication. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the typical modern platforms used to spread propaganda and fake news. With the government being the primary target affected by the fake news, new policies have been adopted based on the unauthenticated information and data. ” Fake news is widely discussed in the society, and the ideas about the new media, the future election changed due to the emergency of the discussions around the fake news” (Monsees & Linda 2). Therefore, emerge of fake news departs the residents from the present governance and leadership (Big Brothers).
Encryption has been advanced after a temperate discussion concerning the security. While the encryption has portrayed development for security and privacy, it has also resulted in new challenges. One of the major challenges include challenges in law enforcement and making the investigation can also be difficult. Usually the backdoor encryption is only accessible by government authorities for security purposes. However granting the authorities to take advantage of the encryption, has resulted in hijackers accessing the user communication. During the Second World War, secure information was passed through verbal communication, after ensuring no one is around. However, with internet advancement, the encryption is installed to secure essential and confidential information. The trusted authorities fail to be responsible for managing the encryptions. The unsecure encryption of backdoors can also lead to gain of remote access to the platforms or systems, change the setting, or even install malware. Hence the various disadvantages as caused by the backdoors encryption trust issues would reduce the trust of citizens to their leaders.
As addressed, the relation between citizens and the big brother has gradually changed since the end of World War Two. Continuous technology advancing has been the major determiner of the relationship between the citizens and the ruling party. Overly social media platforms are the main game-changer in the rot or the advancement of relationships. Fake and memes, as shared through the social media platforms, can be blamed for the changes in the policies based on weak support and authentication. Additionally, AI devices, encryption techniques tracking devices and surveillance drones and cameras, has a notable impact in today’s societies. The devices and systems have diverse effects on the political face of society. For instance, as we have discussed, the use of drones should have well monitored and controlled techniques to reduce unjustifiable cases. Indeed such weapons should only be concentrated in the war field away from the civilians. Hence, control the new technologies has gradually changed the political and social view of citizens to their Big Brothers.
Works Cited
Acheson, R., et al. “The Humanitarian Impact of Drones.” Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; International Disarmament Institute, Pace University (2017).
Monsees, Linda. “The Politics of Fake News–On Fake News as a Collective Symbol.”
Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Everyman’s Library, 2009.