Watching the Watchers: The Future Has Arrived and It’s The Truman Show for Everyone

Neil C. Hughes has a compelling piece in cybernews.com describing an Orwellian reality that, unfortunately, is not a matter of science-fiction. It is already part of our daily lives. Hughes writes:
 
“The constant tracking from our devices, websites, social media platforms, CCTV, and even your employer might be leaving you feeling like you are trapped inside a personalized version of The Truman Show.”
 
At home, images and data from digital assistants, Ring Doorbell surveillance partnered with police departments, smart appliances, heart rate monitors, and even washing machines produce information that “could be used against you by digital forensics teams should you find yourself accused of a crime.”
 
At work, you are tracked by productivity tools, and on the streets by cameras and facial recognition. Banks monitor our “every transaction to monitor for fraud or money laundering.”
 
Hughes adds:
 
“After you finally return home and collapse in your favorite chair to unwind, you are not necessarily paranoid if you question whether you’re watching your TV or if it’s watching you. Some new smart TVs have cameras typically hidden in a bezel at the top of the TV screen, leaving many to think there is nowhere to hide from the watchful eye of cameras and algorithms.”