151 - Susie Violet Ward: The Rise of Digital Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism, Privacy, Surveillance, Bitcoin, Freedom, Technology, Government Control, Autonomy, Community, Responsibility, Democracy, Censorship, Data Sovereignty, Resistance. - Timothy Allen speaks with Susie Violet Ward. Susie is a financial analyst and journalist specializing in bitcoin content. She is also the CEO and co-founder of Bitcoin Policy UK. In this conversation we explore the bittersweet reality of living at a time when technological innovation and financial revolution coexist with growing surveillance and control. From the UK’s Online Safety Act to digital IDs and the normalization of data collection, we unpack how our modern conveniences may be costing us more than we realize. Yet amid the concerns, you can find hope, in Bitcoin, in community, and in the power of individual action. Enjoy the conversation. - SHOW SPONSOR: Veritas Villages: https://www.veritasvillages.com/freecities - Veritas Villages are building off-grid, energy self-sufficient communities for freedom lovers in Latin America. Bitcoin is accepted at all villages, including for the purchase of property. All the podcast links: https://linktr.ee/FreeCitiesPodcast Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0 Free Cities Conference: https://freecitiesconference.com/ Free Cities Foundation Newsletter: https://free-cities.org/subscribe Conference Guide to Prague: https://tinyurl.com/FreeCitiesPragueGuide - DONATE Bitcoin to the Free Cities Podcast: bc1q5jun0nzxzqepch84rqk0jnv0rd8uvns28df7mg - Podcasting apps that support Value 4 Value Bitcoin payments: https://podcastindex.org/apps?appTypes=app - TIMESTAMPS 0:00:30 – Introduction To Episode 0:06:06 – Start of conversation 0:10:12 – Tornado Cash, UK’s Online Safety Act, and Mass Surveillance 0:12:26 – FATF Travel Rule and KYC Data Collection 0:14:41 – Online Safety Bill: A Gateway to Complete KYC 0:19:56 – Criminalizing VPN Use 0:24:16 – The System Incentivizes The Worst People to Seek Power 0:27:30 – Digital ID: Privacy Only Exists If Everyone Does It 0:29:39 – Can You Spend Bitcoin Without Being Surveilled? 0:33:01 – Genius Act, CBDC Bills, and Stablecoins 0:41:16 – Bitcoin Centralization: Mining Pools and Censorship 0:45:26 – Can You Combat 'The Blob' 0:55:18 – U.B.I. Plus Two Salaries 0:59:50 – A Complete System Collapse 1:10:10 – Letting Go of the Idea of Living in the UK 1:19:50 – The Centralisation of Everything 1:27:30 – Tomorrow You May Become a Criminal 1:35:00 – Bitcoin is Hope - NOSTR: Susuie Violet Ward: npub1hwgw0uznr49t4gullpgfz4m5xnakl5a0l88m3k382xv7ys0tfmlsd503sg Timothy Allen: npub1gcf9ltaeu42f4tr20z3avkas04dezlx3jaudqsuu87gvmh686xasrvqjg0 Free Cities Foundation: npub1lsj8pmgedqqamt89c27tzjjnlf0wn7q7udjm7j2cl9xxz97eacns2mwpee - LEGACY SOCIAL MEDIA: Susie Violet Ward: https://x.com/DecentraSuze Timothy Allen: https://twitter.com/MrTimothyAllen Free Cities Foundation: https://twitter.com/freecitiesfound - OTHER LINKS: Bitcoin Policy UK: https://bitcoinpolicy.uk/ Free Cities Foundation: https://free-cities.org/ SPONSOR: Veritas Villages: https://www.veritasvillages.com/freecities Become a resident or business owner in Próspera: https://prospera.co/r/freecities