🎙️ EP19: Rethinking the American Spring — Protests, Data, and the Fight for Autonomy

In a time of mass mobilization across the United States, Aparna and Harinda unpack the new shape of protest — one shaped as much by technology and surveillance as it is by ideology and courage.From ICE raids and facial recognition to silent data monetization and the ethics of state power, this episode asks whether democracy is compatible with the tools now used to manage dissent.🔍 Key themes explored:• Are protests still effective in an age of data profiling and surveillance capitalism?• Why Brazil’s new D-Wallet system could preview the future of personal data monetization• The hidden role of Clearview AI and scraping tech in shaping U.S. protest response• How freedom of expression is evolving — and being constrained — through infrastructure• What it means when governments normalize surveillance as stability🧠 Media of the Week• Aparna’s Pick: Brazil’s D-Wallet and the Price of Data• Harinda’s Pick: “Localhost Tracking” — How Apps Spy on You Invisibly📌 Chapters00:00 Data Privacy Concerns for Android Users05:57 Brazil's D-Wallet: Monetizing Personal Data08:37 Protests and ICE Raids in the U.S.11:41 Geopolitical Implications of U.S. Protests16:34 Technology's Role in Modern Protests22:02 Data Privacy and Clearview's Controversy25:21 The Normalization of Data Scraping28:11 Ethics in Government Actions32:23 Protests and Freedom of Expression37:46 Reflections on Values and Governance👥 Connect with Us• Aparna Bhushan on LinkedIn• Harinda Katugaha on LinkedIn• Learn more: rethinkingtech.co🎧 Subscribe for weekly deep dives into tech, power, and the systems shaping the 21st century.