​Yaqian Ye's
Literature World

Since the 21st century, the UK has engaged in extensive mass surveillance of global communications through the “Five Eyes” alliance, which raised significant ethical and legal concerns about privacy and human rights. More recent reports disclose that London has adopted a higher level of surveillance with video cameras to spot criminal suspects on the street. iv These reports and comparisons between Russia and Britain prompt some people to question whether the UK is evolving into a police state. Given that Russia and its predecessor state the USSR has long been viewed as an authoritarian or even autocratic country, reinforced by the totalitarian police state under Stalinism, it was striking to juxtapose it with the UK, which has been proud of its liberal tradition.