Part 1: Yes. Part 2: Part of the problem is that Orwell is remembered mainly for his dystopian imagination rather than his writing. I remember reading a scholar (Daniel Solove?) who claimed you didn't have to read Orwell to understand what 'Orwellian' means, and while that may be true to some extent I find that kind of approach to Orwell's legacy is far too reductive. As you know, his essays (criminally underappreciated) are perhaps his best work, and they cover a wide range of topics. I suspect most people who use the term 'Orwellian' haven't read Orwell at all, or at the very least almost certainly are only familiar with 1984 (his most popular novel) and/or AF (his most accessible novel). I would argue that HTC is his finest novel and woefully under-read in today's world. So trying to find a worthy successor isn't easy to do because it's so hard which Orwell were talking about. If you are looking for someone who takes up the surveillance theme for the digital age, look no further than someone like William Gibson (that is, if you are a fan of his rather brutish writing).

I agree this sub is dead. I created one called r/recdep which is meant for articles related to Orwell and surveillance, but I am the only person who posts there. You're more than welcome to join the "group", such as it is.