The recent news from Texas about law enforcement using automated license plate readers to track down a woman who had a self-managed abortion sent chills down my spine. Sitting here in my home office, looking out at the growing number of surveillance cameras dotting our own streets, I can’t help but think about how quickly we’re sliding into a surveillance state that would make George Orwell’s nightmares seem tame.

Remember when we thought CCTV cameras were invasive? Those seem almost quaint now compared to the vast networks of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) being deployed across cities worldwide. These systems, often operated by private companies, create massive databases of our movements, accessible to law enforcement without the traditional checks and balances of warrants or judicial oversight.

Remember when we used to laugh at dystopian novels? Those far-fetched stories about governments watching our every move seemed like pure fiction. Well, the latest news about Trump’s plan to create a comprehensive database of all Americans through Palantir has me reaching for my dog-eared copy of 1984.

The irony isn’t lost on me that a company named after the all-seeing stones from Lord of the Rings - tools that corrupted their users - is spearheading this effort. Peter Thiel’s tech company, which has already raised eyebrows with its surveillance capabilities, will now potentially have unprecedented access to consolidated data about every American citizen.