By Kavisha Pillay
In 2024, I read George Orwell’s 1984, a book written in 1949 as a critique of the authoritarian regimes that rose to prominence during the first half of the 20th century. Orwell not only sought to warn his readers of the dangers of omnipresent surveillance and censorship but also highlighted how authoritarian regimes employ psychological manipulation to maintain their grip on society. Through the oppressive presence of Big Brother, the rewriting of history by the Ministry of Truth, and the concept of doublethink, Orwell laid bare the strategies used to suppress dissent and distort reality.
Fast forward to 2024, and it’s hard not to feel like the main protagonist, Winston Smith, navigating a world where tech billionaires wear hoodies instead of Party uniforms, and algorithms surveil us better than the Thought Police ever could.
Big Brother is watching and he’s selling your data too
Orwell envisioned a world where surveillance was a tool of oppression. In 2024, it’s not Big Brother watching you – it’s your smartphone, your smartwatch, your smart fridge, and apparently, your air fryer. Unlike the book, you don’t need a telescreen bolted to your wall, you carry it in your pocket, strap it to your wrist, or install it in your home, all under the guise of convenience and connectivity.
Tech giants like Meta, Google, and Amazon have monetised your every move. Your online searches, voice commands, heart rate, and even sleep patterns are fed into machine-learning models designed to know you better than you know yourself.
Surveillance capitalism thrives on harvesting this data, predicting your desires, and nudging you into spending habits that align with shareholder interests. This constant data extraction is so embedded in daily life that it feels somewhat inevitable. We willingly participate, clicking “Accept” on privacy policies, believing we have control when, in fact, the system is designed to make opting out nearly impossible.
Meanwhile, this collected data doesn’t just predict your shopping choices; it can shape your political opinions, your relationships, and your worldview. Algorithms designed to maximise engagement curate the information you see, amplifying outrage, filtering reality, and constructing echo chambers that reinforce existing biases.
We’ve willingly handed over intimate details of our lives—our locations, habits, and even biometric data—to corporations. While this data fuels the engines of capitalism, it also creates a chilling blueprint for authoritarian regimes. The same “smart” devices that track our steps, automate our homes, or monitor our sleep patterns can just as easily be weaponised for state surveillance. What we buy in the name of convenience today could become the tools of control tomorrow.
The (online) Ministry of Truth
In 1984, the Ministry of Truth served as the epicentre of misinformation and historical revisionism. Its sole purpose is to control and manipulate facts, ensuring they align with the Party’s ever-shifting narrative. Employees of the Ministry rewrite past news articles and official records, erasing inconvenient truths and replacing them with state-approved propaganda.
Reality becomes whatever the Party dictates, reducing truth to a malleable concept designed to serve those in power.
In 2024, we can imagine that the Ministry of Truth is no longer a centralised state apparatus. Instead, today’s version is decentralised, driven by social media algorithms, influencers, and politicians who have mastered the art of narrative manipulation. Platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube have become fertile ground for this digital Ministry of Truth, where false information often flourishes more virally than verified facts.
Millions now rely on social media for news, frequently preferring sensational soundbites over rigorous journalism. Science, facts, and evidence are dismissed in favour of narratives that “feel” true or resonate emotionally. Influencers with massive followings can shape public opinion in seconds, regardless of their expertise or the accuracy of their claims.
The algorithms powering these platforms are designed not to prioritise accuracy but engagement. Outrage, fear, and controversy generate clicks, shares, and ad revenue. This creates a digital ecosystem where false information is not just tolerated but actively incentivised. Flat-Earth theories, anti-vaccine movements, and climate change denialism thrive because they are emotionally charged and divisive.
Orwell’s vision of a society where truth is obliterated by propaganda is reflected in a world where a viral TikTok video can outweigh decades of scientific research.
Additionally, Orwell’s concept of doublethink—the ability to believe two contradictory ideas simultaneously—finds a perfect home in today’s political landscape. Politicians have weaponised social media to amplify conspiracies, undermine democratic processes, and sow confusion. It’s how billionaires like Donald Trump and his backers in the United States have convinced working people that they are the true champions of the working class. Or how Jacob Zuma has persuaded large segments of the South African population that only his leadership can bring liberation to the poor, despite his nine-year presidency, during which rampant state capture and corruption deepened inequality and weakened institutions.
In Orwell’s world, truth was destroyed by the Party’s propaganda. In 2024, truth is eroded by the sheer volume of noise, manipulation, and digital deceit. The tools may have changed, but the outcome is familiar: a society where reality bends to serve those who hold the levers of influence.
Fighting for a safer digital future
Revisiting Orwell’s 1984 in 2024 was a reminder that while the tools of control have evolved, the core dynamics of power and manipulation remain unchanged. Yet, we should resist the temptation to see 1984 as a definitive prophecy. Instead, it is a powerful cautionary tale, reminding us that those in power will always seek new ways to control, influence, and shape reality to their advantage. We, the users, consumers, products, and unwitting subjects of this digital ecosystem have to organise so that our rights are protected.
The struggle we face is one of resisting surveillance, demanding better privacy protections and fighting for digital autonomy. We must hold tech corporations accountable, advocate for ethical digital practices, and arm ourselves with the digital literacy needed to navigate this new reality.
If we allow convenience, apathy, and false information to win, we may wake up in a world where Orwell’s nightmare is no longer fiction—but our lived reality.
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