Trailer for the documentary Article 12.
The world imagined by George Orwell in his most influential novel, 1984, may be closer to our own than we think. In this era filled with orbital satellites powerful enough to locate any individual on Earth, the idea of a private life is crumbling, becoming more of a concept than reality. Officially speaking, this use of advanced technology provides security to Western civilization through constant surveillance — for instance, it would be impossible to abandon a briefcase in downtown London without it being spotted by a camera and subsequently picked up by the authorities. However, even if the means undertaken to maintain order are justified, it doesn’t negate the existence of ulterior motives that also have an impact on our daily lives. In fact, what is supposed to be a society of surveillance is in reality one of control, the camera pointed both inside and out. In the name of our own safety, the State has the power to follow every step we take in any given city, to gain access to our entire banking history and ultimately construct a profile of our most intimate selves.