This term originated from George Orwell's novel 1984 (published in 1949) in which the term referred both to the totalitarian government and to the individual man who was apparently the actual dictator. The sense is conveyed that the man referred to as Big Brother may no longer be alive and/or actively ruling the government in the time-frame in which the story takes place but rather that the spectacle of such is generated by mandatory televised propaganda that are required viewing at work and in the home by way of telescreens which are basically 2-way televisions that allow Big Brother to watch people in their homes and make sure they do nothing forbidden such as keep a private diary (an illegal act of ownlife) or read forbidden literature.
See:
1984 by George Orwell [print, Harcourt Brace & Company, copyright 1949]
Also see:
deep fakes
doublethink
duckspeak
facecrime
ideologically offensive
inner party
master brain
memory hole
memory hole
Ministry of Truth
oldspeak
Orwell, George
Orwellianism
outer party
ownlife
proles
rectify
unperson, vaporize.
Thanks,
Justin Trouble
Laughter my Shield, Knowledge my Steed
Wit I may Wield, but Question my Rede
Liberty my Right, Truth my Sword
Love my Life, Honor my Reward
This is part of the Culture War Encyclopedia.