Big Brother

Big Brother is the overarching antagonist of the late George Orwell's 1949 masterpiece Nineteen Eighty-Four (also known as "1984"). He is an all-powerful authoritarian dictator of Oceania, a fictional totalitarian state taken to the extremes of its logical conclusion: where the ruling class are in complete and utter control of the hapless masses and wield absolute power.

In the society of Big Brother, the entire population is under constant surveillance via telescreens and has no privacy or freedom outwith what Big Brother decides to afford them - Big Brother is forever reminding his people of his presence via simple but effective propaganda.

Since the creation of Big Brother by George Orwell, the name has become a symbol for oppression, especially the type in which personal freedom is removed via surveillance and whenever a government is seen as abusing its power it is often labeled a "Big Brother" state.