T hes es mal l box esar et her oot ofal l oft hes et r oubl es !
Doyouevergett hef eel i ng t hatyou’ r ebei ngwat ched? Manyci t i z ensi nt heUni t ed S t at eshavebeenget t i ngt hat f eel i ngal otl at el yascabl e compani eshaver el eas ed t hos el i t t l ebl ackbox eswhi ch ar ebei ngputi nt ot hehomes ofmany.I ti sbel i evedt hat t hes ebox esar en’ tj us ts owe canwat chourf avor i t e t el evi s i ons howsi nhi gh def i ni t i on,buts ot hatt he gover nmentcancont r ol and moni t orourever ymove.
T hi si saver ypr omi nentex ampl eoft heBi gBr ot herT heor y,whi ch i sahugepar tofs ubl i mi nal mes s agi ng.T hepr ecaut i onswet ake i never ydayl i f econcer ni ngwhatmedi awechoos et ovi ew,and whatwedon’ tt hi nkwes houl dal l occur sduet ot hef eari ns t i l l ed i nuswhenwet akei nt oaccountt hei deaofbei ngwat ched. Al t hought heyar es eemi ngl yhar ml es si nnat ur e,f ors ome,t hes e l i t t l ebl ackbox esar et ur ni ngoutt obeahugepr obl em.
T heBi gBr ot herT heor yt akesmeani ngf r om i t s appear ancei nt henovel byGeor geOr wel l ,1984.I nt hi s novel ,t hewor l dcont ai nsonl yt el evi s i onst hatmoni t or andcont r ol notneces s ar i l ywhatyouar ewat chi ng,but whatyouar edoi ngands ayi ngout s i deoft hemedi a. T henovel pai nt st hemedi ai ndus t r yandt el evi s i onsasa ci r cui tt oal l owi ng“Bi gBr ot her ”acces si nt ot hel i vesof ever yci t i z en’ sl i f e.I fs omeones omuchasbr eaksar ul e, eveni nt hecomf or toft hei rownhome,t heycanandwi l l bepuni s hed.I nt henovel ,t hef earwast hatonewoul d bear r es t edandt akenaway( 1) .T hi si sex act l ywhat ci t i z ensandcons pi r acyt heor i s t sf eari shappeni ngt ous . T hes el i t t l ebl ackconver t erbox esar ebei ngputi nt o ever yhomewi t hcabl e,andi thasbeens ugges t edt hat t her ear ecamer asi ns i deoft hem,andi nt hever y t el evi s i onswear epur chas i ng( 2) .T hei deat hatwear e bei ngcont r ol l edvi at hemedi ai snotj us tani dea por t r ayedt hr oughs ubl i mi nal mes s agi ngi n adver t i s ement s ,butal s ot hei deat hatwear ebei ngs ent s ecr etmes s agesandbei ngcont r ol l edt hr ought he phys i cal modesofmedi at hems el ves .Event hought he i deaofcabl ebox ess oundscompl et el yi nnocent , becaus eacces st ot el evi s i oni ss uchanor m,i si tpos s i bl e t hat“Bi gBr ot her ”i soutt her ewat chi ngus ?CZ