Files, Faces, and Fear

In partnership with

Consider this scenario: You wake up one morning and find that your bank account is frozen, your passport is revoked, and a desperate text from your boss says you’ve been fired. After digging through your emails, you learn that the government has labeled you as an “enemy of the state.” Police sirens grow louder and screech to a halt in front of your apartment. You have ten seconds to find someone to take care of your cat, because you know you’re about to disappear.

If you think this sounds too dystopian, think again. Since January, the United States government has been consolidating citizens’ data, with the ultimate goal of compiling a dossier on every American. If you have ever filed taxes, requested a passport, enrolled in a student aid program, or sought healthcare benefits, your name becomes part of a database. Until recently, information about each action you took was kept in a separate database. It was firewalled and isolated from other databases. While that system might seem inefficient, it was intentionally designed that way. It helped keep your private information private.

Earlier this year, our government dismantled that firewall, brick by brick. Recent executive orders eliminated “information silos” across federal agencies, effectively creating the machinery for a master database of each person’s life. Technology firms like Palantir, cofounded by Peter Thiel, have been contracted to not only merge this data into unified systems but also to use AI to make it searchable, cross-referenced, and ultimately primed for exploitation.

The stated justification is a familiar trope: to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. But history teaches us that sensitive information in the hands of authoritarian leaders is rarely used for benevolent reasons. Once data is centralized, it becomes a weapon for those in power. A single keystroke can now pull up your financial history, medical records, political activity, and even the people you associate with. That is no longer science fiction; we have arrived at that point in our cold reality.

Worse yet, the rapid spread of facial recognition technology brings forth a horrifying new layer of surveillance. Cameras in airports, public buildings, and even street corners will eventually be linked to these consolidated databases. The state would not only know details about your latest tax return, your marriage license, and your application for a loan — it could track where you go, who you meet, and what protests you attend. Every face in a crowd of ordinary dissenters could be identified, logged, and potentially flagged as a threat.

Should we be worried? Consider that President Trump has, on multiple recent occasions, declared a “war from within” and labeled “radical left lunatics” as enemies of the state. This should send shivers up anyone’s spine. An enemy is whoever the government says it is. Today, it could mean immigrants or political rivals. Tomorrow, it could be journalists, labor organizers, or simply voters who back the “wrong” candidate. And it could be you. The definition of an “enemy within” is whatever it needs to be. It can be stretched to fit the political needs of anyone in power. In such a system, disagreement with the government becomes grounds for suspicion.

The threat is not hypothetical. In authoritarian states, consolidated databases are routinely used to punish dissent, deny services, or restrict movement. Russia and China both employ extensive data systems to monitor their populations and neutralize opposition.

Up to this point, Americans could be excused for believing it cannot happen here. Well, it’s happening now. The executive orders are written, and the rhetoric of enemies and internal wars is already being normalized. We now have soldiers patrolling our streets in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland.

Once data silos are dismantled, once facial recognition is fully linked, once the definition of “enemy” is left to the whim of political leaders, once soldiers are deployed on all our streets, the architecture of repression will be in place. And when that moment comes, no law or promise of restraint will matter, because the law will be whatever dear leader says it is, and the Constitution will be just a piece of paper.

That day is rapidly approaching. If you think it won’t happen, just remember where we are now compared to where we were 30 years ago. We never had to worry about late-night comedians being pulled off the air for making fun of the president. The phrase “enemy of the state” was something we read in history books about Nazi Germany. Universities were never extorted and forced to change their curriculum to be more pro-business and pro-government. And our military leaders were never called into a meeting where they were instructed to treat American cities as combat training grounds. These are all realities today, and tomorrow is rapidly approaching. When that day arrives, you may hear police cars screeching to a halt in front of your house, and a sense of dread will fill your heart as you wonder who will take care of your children after you disappear.

It’s not too late, but it will be soon. The time is now. Stand up today or live on your knees tomorrow.

The Daily Newsletter for Intellectually Curious Readers

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Join for free today!