The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar

This story of an activist in the UAE shows the sophistication of zero-day exploits. After jail time and surveillance, he received a Pegasus link disguised as info on detainees. Instead of clicking, he sent it to Citizen Lab. They revealed Pegasus could access cameras, calls, and location. These zero-days are rare and costly, reserved for high-value targets. Stay vigilant—awareness matters!🪧 Watch the full webinarAbove Share is included in Above Suite. Purchase Above Suite with any new Above Phone or Above Book or purchase it and start using our tools on your current devices! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

At the Parallel Society 2026 “FOSS War Room,” we war‑gamed five imminent tech‑freedom disasters and gathered the sharpest minds to sketch real‑world solutions.Scenario: Starting July 2026, Mexico will block any mobile line not attached to a registered digital ID, using a captive portal to enforce the rule.▶️ Watch the mastermind to get solutions Check out these privacy projects: https://logos.co/| https://dark.fi/This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Above phone is built for people who want another way.Privacy phones aren’t just alternatives—they’re better than big tech.With Above Phone, you’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service (and even over WiFi with an internet phone)* Download the apps you love (private app stores)* Have complete control over your app permissions This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

At the Parallel Society 2026 “FOSS War Room,” we war‑gamed five imminent tech‑freedom disasters and gathered the sharpest minds to sketch real‑world solutions.Scenario: Within six months, possession of privacy coins (Monero, DarkFi) and mixer services will become a punishable offense under new FINCEN regulations.▶️ Watch the mastermind to get solutions Check out these privacy projects:https://logos.co/| https://dark.fi/This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Privacy phones aren’t just alternatives—they’re better than big tech.With Above Phone, you’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service (and even over WiFi with an internet phone)* Download the apps you love (private app stores)* Have complete control over your app permissions This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are this week’s stories:Age Verification Comes to Your Computer:A new Colorado bill is attempting to get Apple and Microsoft to enforce age checks on their new operating systems. If you thought digital ID was going to stay on your phone, think again. It could be coming to your computer, too.Anthropic, OpenAI, and the War State:Anthropic pushed back against mass domestic surveillance demands from the Department of War, while OpenAI continues embracing major partnerships with Microsoft, Amazon, and the war machine. We look at what this says about where AI is headed and who is willing to build it.AI Data Centers Are Draining the Grid:People are finally starting to pay attention to the electricity crunch caused by AI data centers. Trump says data centers should pay for their own power, but we’ll show you why that doesn’t solve the real problem. We’ll also give you a sneak peek at the upcoming TBOT data center map and report.Motorola Could Be GrapheneOS’s Next Big Move:GrapheneOS and Motorola may be opening the door to privacy-focused hardware beyond the Pixel line. We look at the official announcement, the speculation around possible devices, and what this could mean for the future of secure phones.Share this post with your crew!🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The Pixel 10 is now at Above if you’re ready for a more intentional phone setup.✊ Break the limits of big tech with Above Phone. You’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service (and even over WiFi with an internet phone)* Download the apps you love (private app stores)* Have complete control over your app permissionsSave $50 today with coupon code TBOT50! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are this week’s stories:What We Can Learn from Epstein’s Privacy:The DOJ has released millions of pages tied to the Epstein case, with more still held back. Beyond how sick and despicable the content is, the files show something else: the arrogance, the infrastructure, and the sloppy operational security behind closed doors. We look at how the emails were obtained, where to find the datasets, and what the records reveal about how Epstein operated.ICE’s Clearview AI Contract:CBP just purchased a new contract with Clearview AI, expanding face search at the border using what you post online. This new contract goes live in September 2026, building on previous ICE contracts. Be mindful of what photos you post online, because they can be used against you.Flock + Ring Cancel Partnership After Super Bowl Backlash:Amazon pushed a feel-good surveillance ad, and people hated it. The planned Ring and Flock integration has now been cancelled, and the doublespeak is incredible. We break down what the integration would have enabled, what Ring is still doing with police, and why the wording in their statements matters.Fungal Computing with Mushrooms:Researchers are testing common store-bought mushrooms as bioelectronics, exploring “fungal computing” and memristor-like behavior. With e-waste exploding and recycling still broken, organic and biodegradable electronics could change the game.Share this post with your crew!🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.✍️ We’re Accepting #TBOT Contributors#TBOT is looking for creators who believe tech should serve humanity. If you can write clearly, source accurately, and highlight real solutions across tech, energy, food, or privacy, we’d love to feature your work. Submit a short sample article and apply to join our contributor crew.✊ Break the limits of big tech with Above Phone. You’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service (and even over WiFi with an internet phone)* Download the apps you love (private app stores)* Have complete control over your app permissionsSave $50 today with coupon code TBOT50! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are this week’s stories:U.S. & EU Exchange Biometrics + Demand Family Data:The U.S. and EU are planning to share travel data, including biometric data. The ESTA Mobile app could also demand family names, phone numbers, DOBs, residencies, plus your biometrics. Find out the details.Credit Unions Roll Out Biometric Scanning:If you use a credit union and try to do an out of state teller transaction, you may have to enroll in biometric verification and submit ID. We break down which network is driving this and what you can do.Humanoid Robots Are Here:Boston Dynamics unveiled a production ready robot Atlas. It can work around the clock and handle heavy loads. Do you think this could replace your job?Personal Knowledge Mgmt:I tried “private” self hosted PKM systems and only one fit the bill: AnyType. I’ll show you why.Share this post with your crew!🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.✍️ We’re Accepting #TBOT Contributors#TBOT is looking for creators who believe tech should serve humanity. If you can write clearly, source accurately, and highlight real solutions across tech, energy, food, or privacy, we’d love to feature your work. Submit a short sample article and apply to join our contributor crew.✊ Break the limits of big tech with Above Phone. You’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service (and even over WiFi with an internet phone)* Download the apps you love (private app stores)* Have complete control over your app permissionsSave $50 today with coupon code TBOT50! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are this week’s stories:Flock Off AI Cameras: New AI enhanced license plate readers are making their way to your town. We take a look at how they look and what they really are in today’s show. Own No RAM & Be Happy: Project Stargate has shifted the world’s manufacturing capacity from consumer computers to AI data centers. Does this signal the future of computing? 5G is Coming Soon: The new American Broadband Deployment Act makes it impossible to reject 5G installation in your local community. Find out why in today’s show.A Tree’s Response to Love: A new Heartmath study shows what happens when we focus our love towards a tree. Are we connected to trees? 🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Join Take Back Our Tech on Telegram and help crowdsource the news!Don’t miss our Digital ID Report. We’ve studied global Digital ID programs so you don’t have to. Download it today!✍️ We’re Accepting #TBOT Contributors#TBOT is looking for creators who believe tech should serve humanity. If you can write clearly, source accurately, and highlight real solutions across tech, energy, food, or privacy, we’d love to feature your work. Submit a short sample article and apply to join our contributor crew.Did you know private and ethical AI models exist?Join us for our next FREE hands-on webinar: Empowerment with Ethical, Local, and Private AI📅 This Friday, December 12, at 12 pm CSTLEARN HOW:* To use a private AI* To optimize your prompts for maximum effectivness* How AI models are trained and how they control and censor informationDon’t hand your authority over to AI!Above’s holiday sale is now on!Don’t miss incredible savings on our most popular devices, a free month of Above Suite, and more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are this week’s stories:U.S. Age Verification Laws – The Facts:States like Texas, Utah, Louisiana, and Mississippi are rolling out sweeping age-verification mandates for websites and app stores. These laws could reshape how people access software and online content—and they raise major questions about privacy, liability, and the path toward Digital ID. Check out the full story for a clear breakdown of what’s coming.Cloudflare Outage Shakes the Internet:Cloudflare suffered its worst outage since 2019, taking nearly 20% of the internet down for hours. Canva, Uber, Spotify, X, and thousands more went dark instantly. We look at what caused the collapse, what it reveals about centralized infrastructure, and an open-source alternative that protects sites without handing the keys to a single company.Apple’s First U.S. Digital ID:Apple quietly launched a new Digital ID system inside its Wallet app—complete with biometric “verification,” NFC passport scanning, and face-movement checks. It’s already accepted at 250 airports. This is the first mainstream Digital ID in the U.S., and Apple plans to expand it to in-person age verification next.Share this post with your crew!🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Announcements🎵 New Handpan Video for Source Insights SubscribersThis week’s Source Insights features a behind-the-scenes tour of a handpan factory—see how they’re made, tuned, and brought to life. Paid subscribers get exclusive access to the full video.✍️ We’re Accepting #TBOT Contributors#TBOT is looking for creators who believe tech should serve humanity. If you can write clearly, source accurately, and highlight real solutions across tech, energy, food, or privacy, we’d love to feature your work. Submit a short sample article and apply to join our contributor crew.🛍️ Above’s Black Friday Sale is Back!Our best sale of the year is back—with some phones up to $500 off, plus deals on laptops and bundles. If you’re ready to upgrade your privacy gear, now is the best time. Don’t wait—supplies of our most popular devices are extremely limited! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

#TBOT 17: now with more crowdsourced stories! 🤩 Thanks to the #TBOT crew on Telegram!The Brightside of The Government Shutdown: SNAP benefits end soon for 40M Americans, many suggest food riots. Or is it 40M Americans that can start growing their own food? Let’s transmute fear into action. ✨ BONUS ✨ We look at clear skies over America, suggesting that geo-engineering is part of the government budget. Hakeem also discusses what he learned talking with some unpaid and upset TSA agents. New U.S. Biometric Rule: The U.S. has some new rules for noncitizens leaving the country. Find out what they are, the tech behind it, and how much it costs to roll out. The 5 Worst Things About Windows 11: Windows 11 is in full swing with more AI and less user freedom. GrapheneOS’s New Phone: Rumors have been confirmed as GOS works with a new OEM provider. Hear the details! Digital ID in UK/Europe: Hakeem reviews the latest on Digital ID, including biometric entry requirements and mandatory requirement of DID to work. Don’t miss our Digital ID Report. Download now!Share this post with your crew. 🚢🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.Would you like to contribute to #TBOT? Learn more!🔥 Above’s Early Black Friday Sale is ON NOW! 🔥Keep your data safe while doing what you love. Secure, private, open-source devices at the best prices of the year! * Up to $500 off* Extra savings on 2-packs of phones and laptops* Unlock a free month of Above Suite* Receive an exclusive invitation for our group set-up callHurry—these deals won’t last long and are only available while supplies last! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

We’re kicking off a 6-part series on Digital ID around the world — starting with North America. From facial recognition at borders to national ID frameworks quietly forming behind the scenes, this episode dives into how the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are rolling out their own versions of Digital ID — and what it means for your freedom to move, work, and live privately. This is part of the ongoing Digital ID Report, exposing how over 90% of countries are implementing these systems in lockstep. Sign up for the full Digital ID Report✊ Break the limits of big tech with Above Phone. You’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service (and even over WiFi with an internet phone)* Download the apps you love (private app stores)* Have complete control over your app permissions This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are this week’s stories:Dating an Undercover? SpyCops Victim Tells All: Environmental activist Kate Wilson fell in love with an undercover cop who was investigating her during their two years together. Almost a decade later, she’s breaking her anonymity to discuss her win against the Met UK police.US & UK’s AI Plan: With US President Trump’s visit to the UK, the Tech Prosperity deal was hurried through. New data centers, a supercomputer, and I think they just copied China’s plan. Find out why. Crypto Privacy Makes You Suspect: Hakeem reviews new FinCEN rules which may make basic crypto privacy suspicious, and the upcoming CLARITY Act which forces any mixing services or exchanges to register with the government. The New Freenet: Freenet is a fully decentralized peer-to-peer network that allows for distributed computing. It attempts to tackle the reputation problem with ghost keys. But there’s one big problem. Share this post with your crew. 🚢🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise. We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.Digital ID is more than just identification. It’s a whole verification ecosystem that could fracture the internet. Learn about how it works in this report preview. Be the first to get your eyes on the report—sign up for the waitlist!Break the limits of big tech with Above Phone. You’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service—and over WiFi with an internet phone number.* Download the apps you love from private app stores with open-source solutions and the appls you’re used to!* Have complete control over your app permissions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are this week’s stories:China’s AI+ Plan Goes All In: China outlined its 10-year plan to integrate the entire country with AI across all sectors. I read their report to find out what’s planned for the second most populous country in the world. MIT AlterEgo Reads Your Lips: New MIT Media Lab startup attempts to let you communicate without speaking with their Silent Sense tech. How does it work? Find out. Insider Look at WhatsApp’s Security: WhatsApp’s head of security sues Meta for alleged retaliation after he called out WhatsApp for not knowing how much data it collected and who had access to it.StackWallet—Private and Easy Multi-coin Wallet: I recently talked with the founder of StackWallet, and now I’m convinced it’s the best wallet out there. Find out why. Share this post with your crew. 🚢🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise. We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.Break the limits of big tech with Above Phone. You’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service—and over WiFi with an internet phone number.* Download the apps you love from private app stores with open-source solutions and the appls you’re used to!* Have complete control over your app permissions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

The internet is changing fast. Stay on top of it: The Future of the Internet: It’s more than just a digital ID. It’s a whole verification ecosystem that could fracture the internet. Learn about how it works in this report preview. Be the first to get your eyes on the report—sign up for the waitlist!Google’s Antitrust Decision: Google bullied other big tech companies into complying with their monopoly. Then they were sued and threatened with selling Android and Chrome browser. The judge has now has ruled on the case. So, what’s changed? Well I’ll Be Dammed: A scientist in the southwest used piles of rocks and logs to restore some of the dryest regions to green wetlands. Learn about her 20 year study and how we can restore our environment. How to Overthrow Google Maps: It seems big tech maps have a monopoly on locating points of interest. StreetComplete is an app that crowdsources locations for use on open source maps. Share this post with your crew. 🚢A new episode of Source Insights is coming out this week. Source Insights includes my personal take on philosophy, spirituality, energetic technology, and more. This week on Source Insights, I reveal the one health decision I made that turned my life around as well as my take on some energetic technologies. Source Insights is only available to paid subscribers. Don’t miss out on Source Insights—level up your subscription to Take Back Our Tech today!🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise.⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations, and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.Today’s AI-driven operating systems send your personal media to big tech companies for analysis, leading to your photos being searchable. And the photo and video editing apps available in big tech app stores silently harvest your data, send your media off to third parties, and sell them to the highest bidder. Most people don’t even know all this is happening when they snap a photo or edit a video.Join us for a FREE Webinar: Media Mastery: Open-Source Photo & Video Editing📅 Monday, September 29, at 12 pm CDTLEARN HOW TO:✅ Take high-definition photos and videos with Above Phone✅ Use special photo modes like panorama and HDR✅ Organize and protect sensitive photos in a vault✅ Perform basic photo and video editing on Above PhoneBONUS: Exclusive Above Phone discount for attendees!We’ll also review how Android and iOS users can adjust their settings to increase the privacy and security of the media on their devices.Break the limits of big tech with Above Phone. You’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service—and over WiFi with an internet phone number.* Download the apps you love from private app stores with open-source solutions and the appls you’re used to!* Have complete control over your app permissions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are the stories for the week: No Anonymous Apps: It’s the biggest Android news this year. Google decides to wall off Android from anonymous developers and have complete control over apps on Android. This is the fracturing of the tech movement, and it starts in 2027.FCC Shuts Down 1,000 VoIP Providers: Use a VoIP service? A thousand US VoIP companies will be forced by the FCC to stop service August 28th for not following RoboCall guidelines. Learn how this works and check if yours is on the list.US Attorney Generals Warn AI Companies: On the heels of Meta’s Internal AI leak, 44 US attorneys general wrote a strongly worded letter to major AI companies. Solutions: Uncensored AI - Enoch AI: A new AI project by Brighteon has trained its AI on sources of natural health information, and you can start using it today. Share this post with your crew. 🚢🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed and focused on the most impactful stories while being concise ⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.Today’s AI-driven operating systems send your personal media to big tech companies for analysis, leading to your photos being searchable. And the photo and video editing apps available in big tech app stores silently harvest your data, send your media off to third parties, and sell them to the highest bidder. Most people don’t even know all this is happening when they snap a photo or edit a video.Join us for a FREE Webinar: Media Mastery: Open-Source Photo & Video Editing📅 Monday, September 29, at 12 pm CDTLEARN HOW TO:✅ Take high-definition photos and videos with Above Phone✅ Use special photo modes like panorama and HDR✅ Organize and protect sensitive photos in a vault✅ Perform basic photo and video editing on Above PhoneBONUS: Exclusive Above Phone discount for attendees!We’ll also review how Android and iOS users can adjust their settings to increase the privacy and security of the media on their devices.Any unlocked phone that supports eSIM can use the Above DataSIM!Above DataSIM is data-only, so network traffic can be encrypted using a VPN. This prevents cell service providers and internet providers from seeing and exploiting your activity. Zero personal information is shared with the carrier, ensuring identities remain private!Avoid big telecom, travel overseas, and keep on hand for an emergency backup! Set up takes only a few minutes. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here are our stories for the week: AI Companions Worse Than Porn: People are turning to artificial intelligence for companionship, seeking emotional connection. AI companies are more than happy to supply this new drug, realizing personalized AI brings the most user engagement. A new Meta leak shows companies adopting a more personal strategy that enables subtle romances with users—including children. Why Your Word Doc Never Looks Right: Shots fired as LibreOffice, a popular open-source office suite, calls out Microsoft for their proprietary document format. We look at the history of OOXML versus ODF and see how MS strong-armed standardization. But in 2025, does LibreOffice smell blood in the water as governments in Finland and Germany shift to Linux and open source? Deep Sea Desalination: Water shortages are leading companies to start pumping water from the deep sea. But is this safe? What’s the environmental impact? We take a look as the largest subsea desalination plant prepares to go live off the coast of Norway in 2026. Solutions: Find your perfect XMPP server! I love XMPP—but finding a server isn’t the easiest task. That’s changing with providers.xmpp.net, a project by XMPP community members that lets you sort and find high-quality servers. Share this post with your crew. 🚢🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories—all in 20 minutes (ain’t nobody got more time than that)!⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations, and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon.✅ XMPP + Above Phone is an excellent communication solution!Are you ready for a phone that respects you? Enjoy private app stores, secure web browsing and communication, download videos to your phone, navigate with open-source maps, and so much more.🔥 And best of all, there are zero connections to big tech!This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here’s the stories for the week: Meta’s Content AI Abused by Governments: An anonymous group has released the first part of their data leak analysis from Meta’s Integrity Labs. They allege that Meta’s reporting system was abused to minimize discussion around Palestine in the wake of October 7th. These initial reports were then used to train Meta’s Content AI, creating a global information blackout. Your Favorite Stores Surveil for the Police: A recent records request indicated that “Flock” license plate cameras have been installed at 171 Lowe’s and Home Depot hardware stores across the US. We’ll cover where the stores are and what these cameras can do. Build Your Own Pay Phone: Electrical engineer Patrick Schlott installed three free pay phones for anyone who wants to use them in his town. It’s more private than a cell phone and they’re free to use. I looked into a number of free phone projects in the US and also looked at how one could build their own. Solutions: Want a private FOSS keyboard? We take a look at Heliboard and some upgrades like voice typing, swipe, and more. Share this post with your crew. 🚢🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed and focused on the most impactful stories all in 20 minutes (ain’t nobody got more time than that)⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories soon. Break the limits of big tech with Above Phone. You’ll unlock features and freedom you didn’t even know existed.* Works with any cell service (and even over WiFi with an internet phone)* Download the apps you love (private app stores)* Have complete control over your app permissionsFind an Above Phone that’s right for you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Here’s the stories for the week: Monero Attack Update: We passed the date of the attack and I think it surprised everyone involved. Now we’re in uncharted territory—a war of attrition. Learn what’s going on. EU Age Verification Forces Google On Its Citizens: The EU just released an open-source age verification app that’s supposed to be private. There’s only one problem—it forces use of Google services. Developers are pissed. This could impact the future of degoogled phones. Tune in!AGPL Is Not FOSS: The AGPL license is commonly used in open-source projects, but it imposes a requirement on its users. Is it actually FOSS? Inventor of Plastoline Missing: 21-year-old inventor Julian Brown turned plastic into gasoline, in his backyard. Now he may be in danger. We’ll look into his work and whether we can turn plastic into fuel. Solution: Mine Monero on Your Computer in 3 Minutes with Gupax. Thanks for watching the TBOT Show! This post is public so share it with your crew. 🚢🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories all in 20 minutes (ain’t nobody got more time than that)⭐ PLUS each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories next week!This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to unlock Source Insights.Finally, a laptop that respects your privacy and your freedom of choice.✅ Modern reliable hardware.✅ A cutting-edge Linux OS that's actually easy to use.✅ Access to more software than ever before.❌ And best of all, no big tech tracking! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

#TBOT show 8 and feeling great. Raising the alarm on an important story. Here’s the stories for the week: Monero Attacked by a Centralized AI Crypto: A new cryptocurrency focused on training AI has devoted its network resources to Mining Monero, openly announcing its intention for a 51% attack. What’s the scoop on this crypto and do they have a chance at killing Monero? We investigate. Australian Social Media & Search Engines Require Age Verification: Australia’s ban of under 16’s from social media goes into effect in December. Online services like social media and search engines will be required to perform age checks under threat of fines. What’s your exposure risk, and is there a way to get around these checks? Microsoft Certificate Keys Expiring, Threaten Alternative OS’: Do you use an older computer and want to install Linux? Well, better disable secure boot! Microsoft’s shim keys are expiring on September 11th, which means you won’t be able to install an alternative OS past that point. New LED Tech Could Transform Indoor Food Production: A new patented narrow-band lighting technology could hit plants just right for massive gains in nutrition. Solution: Mine Monero on Your Computer in 3 Minutes with Gupax. Thanks for watching the TBOT Show! This post is public so share it with your crew. 🚢🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed, and focused on the most impactful stories all in 20 minutes (ain’t nobody got more time than that)⭐ PLUS each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories next week!This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to unlock Source Insights.Finally, a laptop that respects your privacy and your freedom of choice.✅ Modern reliable hardware.✅ A cutting-edge Linux OS that's actually easy to use.✅ Access to more software than ever before.❌ And best of all, no big tech tracking! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Took a week off and now I’m back. 😎 (with a new addition to the show?!) (also, big sorry for the show being 40 minutes) Here’s the stories for the week: Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat - The Real Story: The tech mogul Jack Dorsey released a censorship proof messaging app in late June - named Bitchat. It runs a bluetooth mesh network, end to end encryption, and rolling IDs and is picking up traction. I share my thoughts on the app, and concerns I have - but that’s not even the real story. I think Jack has a bigger message than just the app. World’s First eSIM Hack: A security lab out of Poland just demonstrated a hack on one of the largest SIM providers for IoT devices. We’ll get techy in our understanding and ask the question, could this impact our phones? Digital ID, Coming Soon To Mexico: The Mexican government has signed a new Biometric ID law, known as the CURP. How is this enforced and what does it mean for Mexican residents? Find out today. Decentralized Video Conferencing: Recently I’ve been relying more on video conferences instead of calling people, especially while traveling. Good thing I’ve got the Jitsi app, I’ll show you my setup! New Show, “Source Insights”: You follow #TBOT to stay informed on tech freedom. Now go deeper with a new weekly show “Source Insights”, where Hakeem shares his tools, lifestyle and productivity tips, entrepreneurial advice, wisdom from guides, and personal experiences. Go deeper, join me as a Source Seeker. Unlock access with a paid subscription. UNLOCK ACCESS Thanks for watching the TBOT Show! This post is public so share it with your crew.🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed and focused on the most impactful stories⭐ PLUS each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week.We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories next week!Take Back Our Tech is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Are you ready for a phone that respects you? Enjoy private app stores, secure web browsing and communication, download videos to your phone, navigate with open-source maps, and so much more.🔥 And best of all, there’s zero connections to big tech! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to the TBOT show (now with a little positive news 💘)Here’s the stories for the week: Big Tech Makes Power Plays: Data centers around the US getting first dibs on energy infrastructure, using massive amounts of power, destroying the environment, and investing in 50% of new energy deals. All for the purposes of surveiling you. Learn which big tech companies and where their data centers are located. Is Your WiFi sense tingling? - US Internet Giant, Comcast just rolled out a new “Wifi-Motion” feature, which tracks movement in your house by measuring WiFi signals. Learn about the history of this technology and how it can see through walls. ICE See You: A developer faces political pressure after their app “ICE Block” gains 240,000 users that report on the movements of Immigrations Enforcement. Politicians are pissed, threatening criminal charges. Is the app legal? Is it moral? What other apps exist like it? Going back IRL: Sick of phone zombies? Youths in the Netherlands are too, ditching the devices for “Offline Club”. Learn more abot the digital detox movement.SOLUTION - Convert Units using FOSS Software: Want to calculate how much power your local data center is taking from the grid? ConverterNOW is a great app available on F-Droid that will help you with unit converisons. 🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed and focused on the most impactful stories all in 20 minutes (ain’t nobody got more time than that)⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories next week! Share this post with your crew. 🚢Follow the show: https://takebackourtech.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

A new week in tech - a new episode from #TBOT. Today on the #TBOT show (all in ~20 minutes):Our top story: AI Search Blasts The Web: Own a website? Google’s new unassuming AI mode may just kill web traffic coming from search engines. Find out how this AI search works and what it means for the internet. Uncle Sam Wants You To Wear a Smart Watch: In a recent Health and Human Services budget hearing, RFK Jr announced he wants all Americans to wear health trackers. We’ll look into why he may want this and whether there’s a hidden agenda. Your Password Is Probably In This Leak: Cybersecurity researchers discover 30 different mega-databases on the darkweb, containing 16B credentials. Find out which apps were targeted, how the data was collected, and how to protect yourself. Self-Driving Cars Takeover US Cities: Tesla’s Robotaxis launch in their first city - Austin, and Google’s Waymo driverless ride service launches in Atlanta. Who’s winning the driverless race and what are the technologies behind them? 👨‍💻 Solution: A Private Non-AI Search: Rejecting AI Search with a meta-search engine. In today’s solution video, Hakeem gives you a tour of SearxNG - a search engine that can search other search engines. These meta-search engines protect your privacy, filter ads, and gives you complete control of your searches. 🎊 Welcome to the #Take Back Our Tech show with Hakeem Anwar. Every Friday, tune into tech news that could change your life. Well-researched and with solutions - all in 20 minutes.⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. 🪧 Follow the show on Substack📝 Follow our blog #TBOT related news: Get a deep dive into SIM swapping on our Above webinar5 Must-Change Privacy Settings on iPhone & AndroidGet privacy gear This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

You ready for the download? Today we cover why Android Custom ROMs can push through lack of support, how Trump phone could never be made in the US, the new big tech executives sworn into the army, and how to find your phone privately. 🎊 Welcome to the #Take Back Our Tech show with Hakeem Anwar. Every Friday, tune into tech news that could change your life. Well-researched and with solutions - all in 20 minutes.⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. Stories in this episode: Android Open Source Is Alive - Panic this week for privacy phones, as Google stopped releasing important components of their new Android release. How will alternative operating systems cope with these changes? We’ll find out.Trump Phone - The sitting President launches yet another company, this time a mobile service and a gold phone. Is all that glitters gold, or are you going to be tracked by AI if you use this service? Find out more. Biggest DarkNetMarket Takedown - ArcheTyp market, one of the biggest illegal drug markets that exist on Tor was just taken down and its moderator arrested. Estimated at $300M of revenue in Monero, we’ll look at how the players got caught. Big Tech Executives Turned Colonels? Earlier this week, big tech executives from Meta, OpenAI, and Palantir were sworn in as Lieutenant Colonels. Learn more about the acceleration of the military’s AI transformation. Find Your Phone and Friends, Privately? Hakeem will look into a new app that lets you share your location with contacts without needing a big tech connection. 🪧 Follow the show on Substack📝 Follow our blog #TBOT related news: * Get a deep dive into SIM swapping on our Above webinar* 5 Must-Change Privacy Settings on iPhone & Android* Get privacy gear This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Back with episode 3! Today we cover a massive Bitcoin heist, Pavel Durov’s arrest, a new-ish processor architecture, and age verification to download apps. 🎊 Welcome to the #Take Back Our Tech show with Hakeem Anwar. Every Friday, tune into tech news that could change your life. Well-researched and with solutions - all in 20 minutes.⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. #WATCH ON SUBSTACK In today’s episode: * $330M Bitcoin Heist, Pumps XMR Price 50%: 3,350 Bitcoin is gone in the wind, in what makes the top 10 of the biggest cryptocurrency heists of all time. They say an elderly BTC holder was socially engineered and the scammers quickly converted half of it to Monero. Is that all there is to the story? * Pavel Durov Speaks Out: The Telegram CEO goes public for the first time since he was arrested by French authorities - he answers questions surrounding his arrest and how Telegram complies with laws, what data they give on people. However - there’s one question that no one has asked him that I intend to ask. * RISC-V Open Architecture: Concerned about hardware backdoors? Open processor hardware may be closer than you think with the RISC-V open architecture. This year, group of ex-Intel employees broke off to create their own processor based on RISC-V, and the first RISC-V laptop was released. When can we expect devices in our hands? * Age Verification To Download Apps: Texas passes a bill for age verification for both Google and Apple app stores. They’re not alone - 9 other states are proposing similar bills. We’ll look at what this means for app stores and most importantly - for the kids.* Reddit Alternative: Lemmy is a federated Reddit alternative that anyone can run at home. Each instance federates with each other to share communities and posts. 🪧 Follow the show on Substack📝 Follow our blog New E-Book from Above: * 5 Must-Change Privacy Settings on iPhone & Android* Get privacy gearWe’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories next week! Support well-researched content, forward this to your crew. 🚢 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Hey friends, welcome to another episode of #TakeBackOurTech with Hakeem Anwar. AI appears to be taking over. We see it in our devices, our social media, the videos we watch online, and now our government. Does organic intelligence stand a chance? 🪄 We aim for our show to be well-researched, well-informed and focused on the most impactful stories all in 20 minutes (ain’t nobody got more time than that)⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. In today’s episode: * Google’s New AI Tool: Google’s releases its new AI video tool, Veo 3 + Flow - and suggests its the future for filmmaking. I sat through a few short AI films to tell you if filmmakers and creatives are at risk.* Apple Scanned Yo Photos: Apple just used the photos on your updated iMac and iPhone without your consent throug a feature called Enhanced Visual Search. Why’d they do this? The answer is sinister, find out today. * Big Beautiful Bill: Is that because Palantir has close to $1B in contracts with the US Government? I looked into Palantir’s projects and even found a guide to use their software, we’ll find out how these systems work * Humanoid Delivery Robots At Your Door: Amazon is getting ready to test out delivery bi-pedal robots in controlled locations. We’ll look at the details and the recent developments of robotics to see how soon we’ll expect them at our door. * Self-Hosted AI: Hakeem messes around with Jan.ai - a private & locally hosted AI application that can connect to downloaded AI models, like Brighteon’s Neo - an AI trained on holistic health books. We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories next week! Share this post with your crew. 🚢Follow the show: https://takebackourtech.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Hey peeps, Its Hakeem! We’ve just released the first episode of the new #TBOT show which will be published every Friday from now on. 🔥 My focus with this show is to give you the most important tech stories every week in about 20 minutes (ain’t nobody got more time than that) - all with recommendations. ⭐ PLUS - one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week. This week we’ll discuss: * REAL ID: In early May, travelers are now ‘required’ to use REAL ID. So what is it? We discuss the origins of REAL ID in the 9/11 commission report and how REAL ID becomes the foundation for biometric ID, and how you can opt out at the airport. * Siri’s Listening: Apple settles $95M to a lawsuit alleging Siri has been listening to you without your consent. The lawsuit cites a whistleblower who tells us about Apple’s dirty secrets. * IRS vs Crypto: The IRS is sending out a new form trying to catch people who lied on their tax returns about owning crypto. How’d they get the info? They demanded it from Coinbase. You won’t believe what all they received. This is why we use non-custodial wallets. * Google’s Antitrust Situation: The DoJ ruled that Google had a monopoly on the search market and is getting ready to ‘remedy’ the situation. What’s going to happen with Google? Listen in for the details and the history of antitrust lawsuits in the US. * Unstoppableswap, swap BTC for XMR without needing to trust a third party. We’ll be publishing text posts and clips of each of these stories next week! Follow the show: https://takebackourtech.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In this clip from my new interview with the Macroaggressions Podcast, I talk about the huge multi billion dollar industry built on Google's AdWords and key information about individual users that are compiled into secret databases like Google's Sensorvault. Listen to the full interview here: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In this clip from Above’s Hidden Signs Your Phone is Compromised webinar, I detail how Above Phone will lock out intruders who attempt to use brute force attacks on a pincode to guess the security password on your phone. I also touch on the importance of cryptographically verified boots for GrapheneOS, to make sure nothing changed within your OS from the previously installed update ensuring hackers haven’t tampered with the operating system of your phone. Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips here.To sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In this clip from Above’s ‘Hidden Signs Your Phone is Compromised’ webinar, I discuss the importance of keeping your phone locked at all times and how Cellebrite tools can be used by law enforcement to capture and compromise all of your personal data once the phone is in their hands. Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips hereTo sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In this clip from Above’s ‘Hidden Signs Your Phone is Compromised’ webinar, I’m getting into the details about how GrapheneOS has hardened memory allocation to protect against various memory based exploits that attempt to hijack vulnerabilities on your phone.Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips here.To sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In this clip from Above’s ‘Hidden Signs Your Phone is Compromised’ webinar, I dive into how to identify previously used Pegasus malware URL links that were logged by Amnesty International and some of the most common exploits found in Apple photos including the iMessage 0 day vulnerabilities, which happened from 2019 to 2023. Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips hereTo sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In this clip from Above’s ‘Hidden Signs Your Phone is Compromised’ webinar, I explore how mobile network injection attacks use fake cell towers to redirect you from regular sites to a site that can infect your phone.Those who may be surveilled should watch this.Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips here.To sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Showcasing advanced offline navigation features of the open source maps app OsmAnd, such as navigation simulation. It’s an easy choice when looking to replace invasive spyware apps like Google Maps. Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips here. To sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

If you have ever used an iPhone, you were placed in a secret Google Maps database called Sensorvault. This was so secret that not even Congress knew about it until it was up and running!Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips here.To sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In this clip from our Open Source Navigation webinar, Above CEO Hakeem Anwar speaks to how megacorps like Google and Apple have been collecting all the WiFi access points in the world for surveillance purposes in the past decade. Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips hereTo sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In our Open Source Navigation webinar, Above CEO Hakeem Anwar explains that when you use a normal SUPL service on a big tech phone you're sending over a lot of information, like unique identifiers, to Google. Above Phone (via GrapheneOS) keeps you protected by running a proxy server so you don’t have to connect to Google satellites. Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips hereTo sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In our Open Source Navigation Webinar we discussed what the origin of prehistoric maps were in the ancient world. Long before OsmAnd and Google Maps, our ancestors used to chisel out detailed maps in mammoth tusks to keep track of where they were going. Sign up FREE to watch more webinar clips hereTo sign up:✓ Click on 'Signup' in the navigation menu✓ Enter your name and email✓ Choose the Free $0 Webinar Access Membership option✓ Click the confirmation link in your inbox✓ Invite your friends and family to learn with you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

This Holiday season, you may witness some strange screen staring behavior from your friends and family.Did you know the average teen spends over 7 hours daily staring at screens? That's not including essential school work. Big Tech is deliberately engineering addiction. Anxiety and depression are skyrocketing. IQs are dropping. None of this is an accident - it's by design.Want to protect your friends and family? We've got your back.TITLE:Breaking Out Of Tech AddictionDATE/TIME:Thursday, December 19th at 12:30 PM CSTYou'll discover:* The dark psychological tricks apps use to hijack your attention* Changes in psychology and health from technology overuse* How young people fall victim to technological abuse* Recommendations and guidance for individuals and parentsAll live attendees will get a SPECIAL discount on Above's respect-first devices - technology that works for you, not against you.This FREE webinar is your golden ticket to:* Understanding the true cost of technological addiction* Learning concrete steps to break free from tech dependence* Getting actionable tips for healthier technology habits* Discovering how to use tech on your terms, not Big Tech'sSee you at the webinar!Click here to secure your spot: https://abovephone.com/webinar/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Last month, a recent investigation by French newspaper Le Monde uncovered significant privacy risks involving high-ranking government officials' location through their use of the fitness tracking application Strava. The investigation revealed that the movements of multiple world leaders—including U.S. President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump—can be tracked through their security personnel's use of the popular fitness platform via location data displayed on public profiles within the app.Strava, which has 120 million users worldwide, allows individuals to record and share their exercise activities, including running and cycling routes. The investigation identified a staggering 26 U.S. Secret Service agents, 12 members of French President Emmanuel Macron's security team (GSPR), and 6 members of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Federal Protection Service (FSO) maintaining public profiles on the platform.Cybersecurity ImplicationsThe investigation exposed multiple ways that Strava's public profile system could compromise high-level security operations. Through the platform's activity feed and route mapping features, users can access detailed GPS coordinates and timestamps of any public profile's recorded activities. This enabled investigators to identify precise locations of security personnel during protection assignments, including a U.S. Secret Service agent's running route that revealed President Biden's location prior to his diplomatic summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in 2023.This also allowed investigators to reconstruct protection patterns during sensitive periods, including the weeks following recent assassination attempts on President Trump. We also want to highlight Strava's "FlyBy" feature, which allows users to see other athletes who were active in the same area during a specific time window. This functionality effectively creates a secondary verification method for confirming security personnel locations, as multiple agents' activities often cluster around protected individuals. Official ResponsesThe U.S. Secret Service has issued a statement indicating that while agents are prohibited from using personal electronic devices during protective assignments, they are permitted to use social media while off-duty.French President Macron's office responded by issuing a directive to security personnel to cease using the application, though they maintain that the security implications were minimal. They emphasized that local authorities are always aware of presidential movements and that secure locations are thoroughly vetted.Shady StravaThis is not the first time Strava has raised security concerns. The Pentagon previously identified risks associated with military personnel using the app, citing concerns about the exposure of classified installation locations through user activity data.Perhaps more disturbing is the fact that security experts have emphasized that the vulnerability in Strava extends beyond immediate location tracking, as the accumulated data could be used for pattern analysis and future targeting of high profile public figures.In other words, apps like Strava are designed to track you, as you are the product. It is also a classic example of surveillance as a service that has become commonplace in mainstream apps.If you want to avoid having every move you make be documented by invasive Big Tech apps, we recommend a degoogled smartphone with an open source OS like GrapheneOS and Above Phone. These innovative tools will make sure that you won’t be publicly displaying your location for data brokers and cyber criminals to easily prey on.Even more specifically, if you are looking for a fitness app that genuinely respects your privacy we recommend the open source alternative OpenTracks, which will allow you to track your sport and outdoor activities with peace of mind. Archived SourcesPentagon restricts use of fitness trackers, other deviceshttps://archive.ph/1mfotXi Jinping Arrives in San Francisco for China-U.S. Summit Meeting and the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meetinghttps://archive.is/CQwRf#selection-309.0-309.109Fitness app Strava gives away location of Biden, Trump and other leaders, French newspaper sayshttps://archive.is/XopbmStrava-using Secret Service agents inadvertently tipoff fitness app users to movements of Trump, Biden and Harrishttps://archive.is/X2bFlStrava Labs FlyByhttps://labs.strava.com/flyby/viewer/Rise Above, with Above Phonehttps://abovephone.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

The countdown is on! Our FREE Hidden Signs Your Phone is Compromised Webinar premieres on November 19th at 2 PM CST.Don't miss out on:* How law enforcement breaks into locked phones (yes, even with a passcode)* Real-time detection of Pegasus-level spyware threats* Professional-grade security measures you can implement todayBONUS: Live attendees get an EXCLUSIVE Black Friday discount on Above products!Register NOW: https://abovephone.com/webinar/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In part two of my People's Reset presentation "We Are Technology", I'm getting into a controversial topic. I discuss how sex may deplete the life force energy and vitality in men, using the theories of Swami Vivekanada who claims to have additional mental and vital energy from practicing abstinence from sex for 12 years. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

At the People’s Reset this year I gave a presentation "We Are Technology" an alternative theory and approach to the technology of our body. I discussed the three types of breathing in Kriya yoga and the physical, energetic and emotional benefits of Yin yoga. What did you think of the presentation? Is the technology of the body a topic you are interested in? Support our work:https://www.tiktok.com/@takebackourtechhttps://x.com/abovephonehttps://x.com/takebackourtecht.me/takebackourtechhttps://odysee.com/@takebackourtech:f This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

I spoke with Rose O’ Leary from DarkFi about the problem of centralization in app development and pointed to the recent Telegram saga with Pavel Durov. Rose talked about an alternative to GitHub, where you can contribute code to any project anonymously. Although Rose was also quick to point out that she can’t necessarily protect herself once her image is online and on social media. What do you think about privacy in the age of social media? How careful do you have to be to maintain anonymity online? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In part 2 of my interview with Rose O’ Leary from DarkFi, I asked about the involvement of the FBI and the IRS in tracing and tracking transactions. I was wondering how DarkFi could potentially safeguard visibility into the blockchain. What did you think of the answer Rose gave about Monero's ring signature? Do you have any alternative options to propose in this space? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

We had the privilege of asking the Monero community our questions from our article: LEAKED: IRS Attempts to Trace Monero in Leaked Training Video, Response from MoneroWe received a response from Rucknium - an anonymous statistician of Monero Research Lab who’s conducted some of the first professional statistical analyses of the Monero blockchain and contributed work through Monero’s CCS (community crowdfunding system), including current work on improving Monero’s Decoy Selection algorithm. Read more for comments from Rucknium in response to our questions here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Hakeem Anwar, CEO of Above Phone recently had a chat with Rose O' Leary from an exciting new project: DarkFi. He talked about how inspiring it is to build technology that brings people together rather than creating more division, especially here in the US. DarkFi is a base layer for anonymous applications and smart contracts that aims to be multi-chain interoperable.Curious to hear what you think of the project, let us know in the comments! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

The reason I started using cryptocurrency was because I didn't want anyone to be able to spy on what I spend my money on. Can you relate? In part 2 of IRS Attempts to Trace Monero I'm asking the hard questions - Is Monero actually private? Is any cryptocurrency private? I would love to hear from you in the comments below!Watch the uncut video and read the full article here!Support our work:https://www.tiktok.com/@takebackourtechhttps://x.com/abovephonehttps://x.com/takebackourtecht.me/takebackourtechhttps://odysee.com/@takebackourtech:f This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

We’re living in a comic book. A legendary cat and mouse game is taking place, with the world’s financial privacy at stake. Tyrannical regulatory bodies are obsessed with ensuring no one can exchange money without their knowledge. They join forces with international law enforcement and corporate technology partners that weaponize surveillance on the blockchain.Who stands in their way? A bunch of Monero nerds and nodes.Many thanks to the talented ULY.XYZ for the art in this article.Watch the uncut video and read the full article here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

In a significant blow to open access advocates, the Internet Archive has lost its appeal against major publishers in a landmark copyright case. The dispute centered on the Archive's "Open Library" system, which operated on a principle called "controlled digital lending." This allowed the Archive to lend out e-books for texts they physically owned, mirroring traditional library practices.The controversy intensified when the Archive launched its "National Emergency Library" during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed unlimited loans of digital copies of eBooks.This expansion prompted four major publishers - Hachette, Penguin Random House, Wiley, and HarperCollins - to sue the Internet Archive in 2020, claiming "willful digital piracy on an industrial scale." A federal judge initially ruled against the Archive in 2022, finding that their practices did not qualify as fair use under copyright law. The Internet Archive then appealed this decision to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.Unfortunately, the Appeals Court upheld the lower court's ruling, agreeing that the Archive's practices constituted copyright infringement. The court's reasoning centered on concerns about the scale of copying, potential market impact on authors and publishers, and worries about diminishing incentives for creating new works.While openly acknowledging the benefits of digital libraries, the court ultimately decided that upholding copyright protections was necessary to maintain the balance intended by Congress in the Copyright Act. Sadly, this decision reinforces legal protections for copyright holders, even at the cost of limiting certain forms of public access to information.Who Owns Your Data?The recent ruling against the Internet Archive brings into focus a more critical issue: the importance of truly owning your data. As the things we own are increasingly digitized, the concept of ownership has also become considerably more murky.Consider your eBook library or the documents stored in the cloud. While we often think of these as "our" possessions, the legal reality is, strangely, more nuanced. Most digital content purchased from Big Tech corporations is licensed, rather than owned outright. This distinction becomes painfully clear when accounts are suspended or services discontinued.UniSuper, one of Australia's largest superannuation funds managing retirement savings for over 620,000 members primarily in the higher education and research sector, recently experienced a major service disruption due to a Google Cloud error. Google Cloud accidentally deleted UniSuper's entire private cloud account, leaving hundreds of thousands of members without access to their retirement accounts for more than a week. This clearly shows the risks of relying too heavily on cloud-based services.While UniSuper and Google Cloud have assured that no personal data was exposed and the services were eventually restored, this incident highlights the importance of offline backup systems and decentralized, open source storage solutions for your personal data.SolutionsThe dream of a vast, accessible digital library may have hit a temporary roadblock and the ongoing conversation about legal copyright ownership naturally rages on. In the meantime, here are some handy links if you wish to maintain digital backups of texts that you legally own:https://pdfdrive.com - PDF Drive is a solid search engine for PDF files. They currently have over 75 million eBooks with no ads and no download limits. https://libgen.is - Similar to PDF Drive, libgen is a universal archive containing a host of eBook files. A strong ad-blocker like uBlock Origin is recommended. https://t.me/SaveAlexandria - A community run service for hosting and backing up eBooks on Telegram. Due to Telegram’s new moderation policy we recommend this strictly as a last resort. Sourceshttps://www.theverge.com/2024/9/4/24235958/internet-archive-loses-appeal-ebook-lendinghttps://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/09/unisuper-google-cloud-issue-account-access This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

If Google Maps went down this very moment, would you be able to get directions to the nearest grocery store? Would you be able to get back home if you're on the other side of town?Probably not, because we have lost our sense of direction.We're super tied down to these big tech mapping applications, which when you search for food, it gives you b******t like McDonald's and Walmart, lowest common denominator things.That’s why I am pleased to announce Above is hosting a webinar called Open Source Navigation that is going to help people divest from these big tech maps, create the things that are important to them in their hometown and save a local map to their phone that they don't need to be connected to the internet to use.It's going to take place Thursday, October 24th at 11 a.m. Central time.You're going to be able to ask questions. We will show you how to use these open source mapping applications, all the best ones that are available, their differences, some nuances of how you'd like to use it, and also how to use information from big tech maps more privately.If you're interested, please RSVP at: https://abovephone.com/webinar/We hope to see you there! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

Mike from the amazing health & supplement company Alfa Vedic asks: does all wireless technology need to be dangerous to biology? Hakeem briefly discuss how his research into EMR led him to the conclusion that a lot of wireless frequencies are like energy weapons in terms of the harm it does to biology. We would love to hear from you, what do you think? Support our work:https://www.tiktok.com/@takebackourtechhttps://x.com/abovephonehttps://x.com/takebackourtecht.me/takebackourtechhttps://odysee.com/@takebackourtech:f This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe