#TBOT 17: The Bright Side of a Govt. Shutdown, Digital ID in the UK/Europe, New U.S Biometric Rule, Windows 11 Woes, GrapheneOS New Phones

#TBOT 17: The Bright Side of a Govt. Shutdown, Digital ID in the UK/Europe, New U.S Biometric Rule, Windows 11 Woes, GrapheneOS New Phones

Author: The most important weekly tech news + solutions. November 7, 2025 Duration: 38:42

#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.

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Hakeem Anwar hosts The #TBOT Show, a weekly podcast dedicated to cutting through the noise of the tech world. Instead of just reporting headlines, this show focuses on the technology news that actually shapes your daily routine, privacy, and digital freedom, explaining why it matters in clear terms. Each episode is designed to be concise and actionable, wrapping up in under twenty minutes. You’ll hear informed analysis and straightforward recommendations on how to navigate the week’s developments. True to its mission, every installment also provides a practical takeaway: this might be a powerful open-source tool you can use, a privacy-enhancing skill to learn, or a sustainable tech solution to implement. It’s a blend of necessary context and usable insight, making it a resource for anyone who wants to understand and take back control of their tech life. Tune in for a focused, efficient update that prioritizes depth over duration, ensuring you stay informed without being overwhelmed. This podcast delivers exactly what its author promises: the most important weekly tech news paired with tangible solutions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 80

The #TBOT Show with Hakeem Anwar
Podcast Episodes
Live Demo of All Above Phone Privacy Features [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:50
For those new to Above products, Above CEO Hakeem Anwar provides a live demo of the Above Phone for total transparency of the device. Notably, GrapheneOS allows for total restriction of the microphone and camera on the A…
How iPhone and Android Leak Data Every 5 Minutes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:23
Hakeem Anwar from Above Phone & Take Back Our Tech and Nicole Sauce from Living Free in Tennesee speak on the sharp uptick in interest of Android phone adoption, particularly in developing countries. The reason? Hakeem p…
Privacy and Social Media: Can They Coexist? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:12
Hakeem Anwar from Above Phone & Take Back Our Tech and Nicole Sauce from Living Free in Tennesee have a nuanced discussion about alternative social media platforms in the post-Telegram era that can genuinely respect our…
Cooperation between the surveillance state and Tech Giants [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:51
Hakeem Anwar of Above Phone and Take Back Our Tech on the surveillance state, growing Big Tech encroachments, and the tech alternatives in hot demand as people look to hang on to basic privacy: https://realitycheck.radio…
The Weaponization of Surveillance Pricing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:15
Following the rise of e-commerce in the 2000s, surveillance pricing has emerged as a potent weapon wielded by corporations and tech giants to maximize profits at the expense of consumer privacy. This invasive practice ha…
Your Social Security Number Leaked on the Dark Web [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:33
In a year already marked by massive cybersecurity incidents, another major data breach has come to light, affecting millions of Americans. National Public Data (NPD), a background check company owned by Jerico Pictures I…
Police Officers Use AI Chatbots To Write Crime Reports [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:56
The Oklahoma City Police Department is experimenting with an AI tool called Draft One, developed by Axon, to generate initial drafts of incident reports. This system utilizes the audio recorded by officers' body cameras…
VIDEO: Making Up Security Vulnerabilities for Clicks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:52
Earlier this month, major tech outlets picked up on findings from iVerify, a security company who claimed they discovered a malicious Android package (‘Showcase.apk’) on millions of phones."The app vulnerability leaves m…
Telegram Plays Ball and Commits To Moderation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:32
Last week on Telegram, chats were ablaze with rumors that direct messaging on the platform lost its encryption, after CEO Pavel Durov posted bail from a French jail and Telegram made a quiet update to their FAQ. Below yo…
The Technology Cold War: Russia & China Can’t Get Rid of Windows [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:02
The news cycle today indicates we’re moving through another Cold War, and despite the heightened tensions with Russia and China, neither country has shown significant progress in kicking Microsoft out of their countries.…