The original idea of a "tinfoil hatter" was that the "hatter" wore a head garment made of tinfoil, to block the mind-control radio waves the [government|aliens] were using to take over people's brains. I don't think we have any particular indication that is likely, yet.
Everyone cares if they would [and that they are]. What is immaterial is what technology the governments use to spy on their people, especially unlawfully.
To be fair, there is plenty of documentation that diverse subliminals find their ways into television programming, and even the music in supermarkets. Just like Fight Club.
Effectiveness of subliminal messaging (i.e. visual and audible signals which are so quick/quiet/subtle that they're available only to your unconscious mind) is not that hard to test in a laboratory, and studies are pretty conclusive that it it doesn't influence decisions unless the stimulus is presented within a few seconds of making the decision (i.e. grocery store aisle).
People are definitely swayed by overt, liminal signals in subtle ways, but subliminal messaging specifically was created by an ad agency and the science was pretty well debunked.
Well, we're probably just a few short decades away from us being able to influence things around us (and possibly even animals) with mind control. At that point you'd have to believe the government would be already working on ways to get into people's heads.
