Modern day telescreens

[SABDFL]

I am intrigued by Orwell's idea of the telescreen. A monitor through which information can be sent, but also a secret camera, through which information can be received. Like a double edged sword, it can be both an asset, and a danger. BB ensures that only party propaganda is streamed through the system, but imagine the potential that a telescreen-like device could hold for government, business, advertising, and consumers. I think it's a pretty ingenious idea.

Will we ever see telescreens? What would they be used for? What would they look like? How would they work?

[jellolover07]

Telescreens would most likely look like televisions, and who knows, maybe our televisions do have secret cameras inside them :lol: I highly doubt that the use of a telescreen would ever do much good, in the book they seem to be a problem more than anything. For a government that wants to know what all of its people are doing at all times, sure, its a good idea, but for the modern world most of us live in, no, it wouldn't. We don't need more propaganda and spying.

[Enjoi.]

Telescreens would most likely look like televisions, and who knows, maybe our televisions do have secret cameras inside them :lol: I highly doubt that the use of a telescreen would ever do much good, in the book they seem to be a problem more than anything. For a government that wants to know what all of its people are doing at all times, sure, its a good idea, but for the modern world most of us live in, no, it wouldn't. We don't need more propaganda and spying.

Agreed, this wouldn't help our society in the way it helps the Party, it would give us a reason to be suspicious of the government and the privacy of life would be terminated. This is ingenious, but it wouldn't help our society.

[MulattoMan07]

I fail to disagree. I think that our society already uses a system almost relevant to the telescreen. Hidden camera's. Even though these cannot talk to you, it allows the user to see what actions you are carrying out without the person knowing. In our society this could be street camera's or anything of that nature.

[Enjoi.]

I fail to disagree. I think that our society already uses a system almost relevant to the telescreen. Hidden camera's. Even though these cannot talk to you, it allows the user to see what actions you are carrying out without the person knowing. In our society this could be street camera's or anything of that nature.

These cameras are NOT hidden. In the communities they are located there are signs that say they are under surveillance. This is to reduce crime, not ensure protection of the Party. The extent to which they are used in 1984 is nowhere near how we use them today. I think a better example would have been the governments taps on phones and the ability to see what we post and do online.

[MulattoMan07]

This is true. I completely had forgotten the phone tapping:flare: But we were notified by the government that this would be put into effect.

[Enjoi.]

This is true. I completely had forgotten the phone tapping:flare: But we were notified by the government that this would be put into effect.

I don't see your point. We were informed that this would happen, but how does that tie in with the telescreen subject?

[The Atheist]

Will we ever see telescreens? What would they be used for? What would they look like? How would they work?

We almost have them - computers with webcams.

At least we can turn them off.

:D

[Enjoi.]

We almost have them - computers with webcams.

At least we can turn them off.

:D

Can the government monitor these webcams? If they can't I'm sure some law will be passed that will let them. :D

[The Atheist]

Can the government monitor these webcams? If they can't I'm sure some law will be passed that will let them. :D

Since the signal transmits through the internet, the cam pics are indeed able to be seen by others - hackers, governments, spies, anyone with the right hard- and software.

[Enjoi.]

Since the signal transmits through the internet, the cam pics are indeed able to be seen by others - hackers, governments, spies, anyone with the right hard- and software.

ooo, thanks The Atheist =)

[cgnadt]

Anyone can see what you do on the internet these days.:eek: the difference with the telescreens is that only the government officials that moniter the telescreens can see what the party memeber is doing. another difference is that the telescreen can see everything the person is doing because the person is never not using the telescreen because they can not turn it off. if someone is overly worried about being "spied" on by the government, the people in our society can just choose to turn off thier appliences:nod: or if they are really paranoid, they can choose just not to buy any appliences. :crash:

[Enjoi.]

Anyone can see what you do on the internet these days.:eek: the difference with the telescreens is that only the government officials that monitor the telescreens can see what the party member is doing. another difference is that the telescreen can see everything the person is doing because the person is never not using the telescreen because they can not turn it off. if someone is overly worried about being "spied" on by the government, the people in our society can just choose to turn off their appliances:nod: or if they are really paranoid, they can choose just not to buy any appliances. :crash:

There is one group that can turn them off for a short period of time without suspicion and they are the Inner Party members. The point being in this entire topic is that there really would not be a need for the government to see every little thing we do.

[Broadwaygirl]

I am intrigued by Orwell's idea of the telescreen. A monitor through which information can be sent, but also a secret camera, through which information can be received. Like a double edged sword, it can be both an asset, and a danger. BB ensures that only party propaganda is streamed through the system, but imagine the potential that a telescreen-like device could hold for government, business, advertising, and consumers. I think it's a pretty ingenious idea.

Will we ever see telescreens? What would they be used for? What would they look like? How would they work?

Well, SABDFL, I hope our government does not go that far, but we do see some similarities today with tapping telephones. In 2001, President Bush passed the Patriot Act which allowed the government to listen in on our conversations without our knowledge. In my mind, that is almost the same as a telescreen.

[fajitaeater1]

I could see this happening. Our very existance tapped and watched. Google earth for example. I was just there and saw my house, and a dog. I could type in an adress an I could see anything I wanted. I could also see this as a positive device. I agree with SABDFL, they are a great marvel that we have not created. With this machine we could keep an eye on a family member that has a disability or is eldery, we could also use this for servalence on a home when the owner is away. Like anything else, this machine could be benifitial or a berden to man kind.

[lukgem]

we have them already i think the television,agreed they cannot look into your space but there is an undoubted amount of propoganda pumped through them into the only space we really own between our ears.
24 hour news channels with ticker streaming,terror alert levels,and science that says that they oscillate at a frequency that has a calming sedative effect on the human mind.
we have sports as a top story,yeah right its only a game.
we have wmd dossiers,they were real werent they?
we have celebrity scandal and tittle tattle as featured stories,oh and crime is down for the fith time in the fourth three year plan.
not to mention pornosec which is a popular feature.
lottery results and fear of immigrants,bank bailouts and rising energy costs plus the impending doom of co2.
not bad for a one way telescreen.
24 hours a day and what is the real news?

[cgnadt]

There is one group that can turn them off for a short period of time without suspicion and they are the Inner Party members. The point being in this entire topic is that there really would not be a need for the government to see every little thing we do.

you have to remember that later in the book, even though O'Brien turns off the telescreen, he is part of the thought police. O'Brien turning off the telescreen could have been part of the trap he made to get Winston arrested.:( O'Brien was also Mr. Charrington. the real question is why would the thought police (O'Brien) spend so much time on Winston? why would they set Winston up?
:idea: another question would be: was O'Brien's telescreen really turned off, or was it just made to look that way? (the sound may have been muted, but it still may have been able to hear/see what went on) or another possibility is that there was another disguised telescreen in the room. they disguised the telescreen in Winston's apartment at Mr. Charrington's store under a picture frame, so it is possible there was one in O'Brien's apartment too. (the telescreen at Mr. Charrington's store did not make any sound....)

[The Atheist]

O'Brien was also Mr. Charrington.

Eh?


the real question is why would the thought police (O'Brien) spend so much time on Winston? why would they set Winston up?

They had to find his weak point.


:idea: another question would be: was O'Brien's telescreen really turned off, or was it just made to look that way?

Definitely turned off. The Thought Police were above suspicion, which makes sense, because they were Inner Party members and part of BB.

[cgnadt]

sorry i misunderstood, Mr. Charrington was not O'Brien, but he was a part of the thought police. i apologize :blush:

[GirlWithABook]

Yes, I believe that one day we will see modern day telescreens that will be used in our society. I think that every modernized home will have a big screen television that can be tapped into by the government at anytime. it's scary to think about, but i believe it will one day be reality.

[Enjoi.]

Yes, I believe that one day we will see modern day telescreens that will be used in our society. I think that every modernized home will have a big screen television that can be tapped into by the government at anytime. it's scary to think about, but i believe it will one day be reality.

Nah, the government would have no use for them. It would be strongly objected. Never will happen. The people aren't that dumb to allow that.