The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar

Tonight, the FCC, Google, and the UK Government make big moves against private and free technology. The hits don’t stop — keep ’em coming, and we’ll keep the solutions coming on #TBOT. Bye Bye Burner Phones?: A new FCC rule threatens to end phone anonyminity by demanding IDs when getting a phone number. Why? To stop robocalls. What its probably going to do; destroy privacy and put millions at risk...

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! 🪧 Watc...

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...

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://l...

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 deman...

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 dataset...

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 trans...

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 A...

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 b...

#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...

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 D...

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 hur...

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 wor...

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 mon...

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...

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 childr...

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...

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 serv...

#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...

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 sha...

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 cent...

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 heari...

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...

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...

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...