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PODCAST

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar

The most important weekly tech news + solutions.

Every week we cover the most important tech stories of the week that impact your life, all under 20 minutes. You"ll get our recommendations and one powerful open-source tech solution or skill every single week. Share the #TBOT show with your friends: https://takebackourtech.org https://tbot.substack.com tbot.substack.com

technology tech news

All Episodes

25:59

#TBOT 22: Age Verification Computers, War & AI, Data...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2026/03/09

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,

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36:54

#TBOT 21: Epstein Files Update, ICE Expands Clearview...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2026/02/23

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

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17:59

#TBOT 20: US & EU Exchange Biometrics + Demand Family...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2026/01/19

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

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4:22

Empowering Users: Customizing Your Above Phone...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2026/01/05

Recently on Redacted, we explore how Above Phone puts privacy and control back into your hands. We discuss how the device offers guidance for users who want to install Google services, ensuring that you stay informed and maintain your privacy.Learn how Above Phone provides open-source alternatives for common apps, allowing you to navigate and communicate safely without compromising your data. Plus, discover the flexibility of using your phone both with and without Google services, and how you can

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3:53

Apple’s Enhanced Visual Search Is Technocratic Behavior

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/12/30

In this discussion on Redacted, we look at how centralized, cloud-dependent AI on smartphones becomes a tool for surveillance. Features like Apple’s Enhanced Visual Search analyze user photos at scale, often enabled by default, without consent and tied into opaque data pipelines users don’t meaningfully control. This isn’t a critique of AI as a technology — it’s a critique of who runs it and where it lives. When AI operates inside big-tech ecosystems, tied to identity, cloud services, and data

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38:14

#TBOT 19: Flock Off AI Cameras, You Will Own No RAM...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/12/11

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

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26:20

#TBOT 18: U.S Age Verification, Apple's Digital ID,...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/11/24

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

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38:42

#TBOT 17: The Bright Side of a Govt. Shutdown,...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/11/06

#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

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4:34

How Pegasus Spyware Exploits iMessage and WhatsApp

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/11/04

In this clip, I dive into how the Pegasus spyware can hijack your phone through iMessage without you even clicking anything. Plus, I talk about a former WhatsApp security head who blew the whistle on just how many engineers have access to your data. It’s a stark reminder of how these “privacy” promises from big tech often fall short.Watch the full talk here: above.sh/hf6fxwBrowsing the web ad-free doesn’t have to be a fairy tale. Above Book makes it easy, right out of the box!It’s time to use a

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7:24

Palantir’s War Surveillance is Coming Home

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/10/22

In my recent conversation with Mike Adams, we dove into the troubling ways surveillance technology is being misused. We talked about how tools originally tested in conflict zones—like Palantir’s tech in Gaza—are now quickly coming home. These surveillance tools, once used in war, are being turned on everyday people under the guise of security.Palantir is glueing together data from every federal agency, building a surveillance network that can track and profile people in incredibly detailed ways

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30:08

#TBOT 16: Digital ID in North America

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/10/17

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

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28:39

#TBOT 15: Justice for victims of undercover cops, US...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/10/01

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

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61:34

James Corbett on the #TBOT Show: Reportage & Open...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/09/22

In our new #TBOT show interview series, we sit down with James Corbett of The Corbett Report. James is a documentary filmmaker and author. His first book, Reportage: Essays of the New World Order, is now available for order in hardcover, softcover, and e-book. The first segment of the interview is available to all #TBOT subscribers. Become a paid member to watch the second half, where we discuss self discipline, raising children, and eco-villages. James shares the vision behind Reportage and Open

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26:49

#TBOT 14: China’s AI+ Plan Goes All In, MIT’s...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/09/17

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

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27:21

#TBOT 13: The Future of The Internet, Google’s...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/09/08

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

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27:31

#TBOT 12: Google Demands IDs for Devs & Bans...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/09/01

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

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29:40

#TBOT 11: AI Companions Worse Than Porn, Why Your...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/08/25

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,

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28:10

#TBOT 10: Meta’s Content AI Abused By Governments,...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/08/18

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

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22:06

#TBOT 9: Monero Update, EU Age Verification Forces...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/08/07

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:

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25:20

#TBOT Show 8: Monero Attacked by a Centralized AI...

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar ·

2025/07/28

#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

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82 results

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