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How does "Winston" expose the deficiency of surveillance

technology?

November 13th, 2020

"W1n5t0n'' also known as Winston exposes the deficiency of surveillance technology. There has

been a terrorist attack in San Francisco and the government has brought in so many security

systems, which will take away a lot of privacy from the people. "W1n5t0n" is Marcus Yallow,
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the protagonist in the novel called "Little Brother'' by Cory Doctorow. His best friend went

missing after the terrorist attack and after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took

Marcus and his friends away. Marcus pledges to bring down all surveillance technology and find

his friend Darryl. Marcus is a seventeen-year-old teenager who is very smart, intelligent, and

brave and knows how technology works. Marcus exposes the deficiency of surveillance

technology. He uses Xnet, a system, and gets more kids to use it and uses a secret identity. Ange,

his girlfriend, helps him on his journey to bring down DHS and Marcus uses social media,

journalists to tell the story and bring down DHS and all their plans.

Marcus realizes that his computer has a bug, So he uses Xbox and Xnet. Marcus and Jolu plan

things out to bring in more people to Xnet. They call a party to bring in people to use Xnet more.

"So here it is. You all use the Xnet. It's no coincidence that the Xnet was created right after the

DHS took over the city." (C Doctorow, 2008, pg.162)This is how Marcus addresses the people

who came to the party and urges them to use Xnet. Marcus uses a secret identity called "M1k3y''

to use Xnet and to read messages and to talk to others without having the DHS tracking him. "

My new handle, come up with on the spur of the moment, was "M1k3y", and I got a lot of emails

from people who heard in chat rooms and message boards that I could help them troubleshoot

their Xnet configurations and connections." (C Doctorow, 2008, pg.96). Marcus also used Xnet

to write blogs and thoughts to share using the secret identity "M1k3y''. The blogs were against

the DHS, which led the government noticing Xnet users but they didn't know who "M1k3y '' is. "

I'd blogged the press conference even before sent out invitations to the press." (C Doctorow,

2008, pg.231). This gave the readers of Marcus's blogs an idea of what's happening with the

government and DHS and their security systems around the city of San Francisco.
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Ange, Marcus's girlfriend, plays a big part with Marcus to expose the surveillance technology.

Marcus met her at the party, where Marcus and Jolu planned. She has helped him with Xnet and

brings in more people to Xnet. Also, She has helped him with Marcus's blogs. Ange set up

everything for the press conference he had. " Hold a press conference," is what Ange said as we

sat in the cafe near her place that evening." (C Doctorow, 2008, pg.230). In everything after the

party on verse, Ange has played a big part.

By the end, Marcus uses social media and a journalist. First, he has a press conference and

attracts attention. "More journalists asked questions. Some were sympathetic, some were

hostile." (C Doctorow, 2008, pg.238). Then Marcus tells his mom what happened before and

what happened to Daryl. Then they go see a journalist, her name is Barbara Stratford. Marcus

tells her what happened and she takes notes. Also, Marcus tells her that he is "M1k3y" and she

tells him to tell her more about it. "Here's what I can tell you right now. I believe you. Not just

because I know you, Lillian. The story sounds right, and it ties in with other rumors I've heard.

But I'm not going to be able to just take your word for it. I'm going to have to investigate every

aspect of this and every element of your lives and stories." (C Doctorow, 2008, pg.261). Barbara

assured Marcus and others that she believes them and will investigate more on it. Then after

when Marcus got caught. "I started to ask what they were doing there, and that's when I saw

Barbara Stratford. She'd been held back in the corridor, but now she came in pushing and

shoving." (C Doctorow, 2008, pg.347). Then Barbra comes to rescue Marcus and later on they

go and find Daryl and Ange who were in prison earlier by DHS. So, Marcus uses the media and

a journalist as another way to expose the deficiency of surveillance technology.

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To sum up, everything that has been stated, Marcus exposes the deficiency of the surveillance

technology by over smarting them and defeating them. It all started with Marcus having the urge

to find his best friend. Then going on to make Xnet and getting more people to use it. After that

finding Ange and her help with his journey to defeat the DHS and government's security systems

that took his privacy away. Then, Barbara, a journalist, helps him with the issues and rescues

Marcus, Ange, and Daryl from the DHS. Overall, it was Marcus's smartness and courage that

helped him take action against DHS and the government. The smartness and courage that other

teenagers might not have. Also, his partner Ange, helped him a lot and when they worked

together, they succeeded. All together, Marcus and others show that smartness, courage, and

teamwork could help anyone overcome anything.

Endnotes

1. Cory Doctorow, Little Brother, (Tor Books, 2008), pg. 162.

2. Ibid., pp. 96.

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3. Ibid., pp.231.

4. Ibid., pp.230.

5. Ibid., pp.238.

6. Ibid., pp.261.

7. Ibid., pp.347.