In George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, the authoritarian federal government controls every aspect of people’s lives. This government is represented by Big Brother, who monitors each person’s movements and thoughts using sophisticated surveillance technology. Ostensibly these measures are necessary to protect the nation from its enemies, the threat of which is regularly exaggerated in the government-controlled media.

Since America’s enemies crashed commercial airliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, the U.S. government has undertaken efforts to enhance national security, many of which have prompted charges that Big Brother is alive and well. Many commentators maintain that following the attacks, U.S. government officials began exaggerating future threats to America’s security in order to justify giving government more power over citizens. These analysts argue that...