1984 may be long gone but if we're not vigilant H.G.Wells scenario may come to pass in the not too distant future.
Only a couple of days ago police forces were ordered to destroy almost 2,000,000 DNA records of innocent people that were supposed to have been destroyed following completion of police enquiries. Who knows what other information (gathered at the same time) about these people is now sitting in a government database. Knowing this government's record in losing confidential information if I was one of those 2,000,000 I would be extremely worried.