What is concerning about the UK is how apathetic the general public is to all this stuff. They have already accepted they need to opt into adult websites and continue to vote for authoritarian govt.

I don't think this is unique to the UK, it's just the UK is at the forefront overt public surveillance. CCTV has been extensive in the UK since the early 90s. Fighting crime with the "if you aren't doing anything wrong, you don't need to worry" Orwellian attitude is generally accepted.