#TBOT Show 4: Android Open Source Still Alive, Trump Phone, XMR Based DarkNetMarket Taken Down, Big Tech Execs Now Colonels, Find Your Phone Privately

#TBOT Show 4: Android Open Source Still Alive, Trump Phone, XMR Based DarkNetMarket Taken Down, Big Tech Execs Now Colonels, Find Your Phone Privately

Author: The most important weekly tech news + solutions. June 20, 2025 Duration: 24:28

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.

šŸŽŠ 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 SubstackšŸ“ 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



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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
How To Contribute Code Anonymously [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:05
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…
Is Privacy Possible With Crypto? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:08
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…
IRS Attempts to Trace Monero, Response from Monero Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:15
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 s…
Exciting New Crypto Project: DarkFi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:44
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…
How the IRS Eliminates Financial Privacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:03
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 Moner…
Internet Archive Hacked: What You Need To Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:47
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…
How To Avoid Big Tech Map Applications [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20
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 s…
Energy Weapons, Radiation and Alternative Technology [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:59
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 wi…
A Phone Free From the Influence of Big Tech [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:54
In a recent interview with Mike from the amazing health & supplement company Alfa Vedic, Above CEO Hakeem Anwar details his background as a software engineer and how he was building a kind of electronic prison when in th…