Episode 112: Mark Johnson on Watching Big Brother

Subscribe for free at 1984today.substack.com for weekly dystopian news and more!Live facial recognition! “Legal but harmful” speech! Spycoin!In this episode, I’m joined by Mark Johnson, the Advocacy Manager for Big Brother Watch, a UK civil liberties campaign group dedicated to reclaiming privacy, defending freedoms, and rolling back the surveillance state. You can find them at BigBrotherWatch.org.uk, where you can download their reports on the various dystopian issues facing the British public, and find out how you can support them.Mark Johnson was previously a Parliamentary Assistant working on domestic and international human rights issues including opposition to the death penalty and freedom of religion. He is also active in campaigning against the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs, a Muslim minority in China.We get into the (unfortunately many) issues facing Britain, from the deployment of live facial recognition by law enforcement to the crackdown on free speech and the push to get rid of physical cash. All in a day’s work for Big Brother Watch, but quite a lot to fit into one discussion!Mark has an admirable grasp of the myriad angles from which civil rights in the UK are being undermined, and an obvious passion for a free society. Speaking with him was as energising as it was concerning. I hope you feel the same!You can find Big Brother Watch on X: @BigBrotherWatchhttps://www.1984.today This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 1984today.substack.com