#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.

🎊 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



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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
Dan Astin Gregory and Hakeem Anwar on Abusive Software Systems [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:19
Dan and Hakeem get into how technology is being used as a system of control and the danger of dealing with abusive software. What do you think? Is technology leading us towards an Orwellian future?Support our work:https:…
Dan Astin Gregory and Hakeem Anwar on Digital ID [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Dan and Hakeem discuss the evolution of the Greater Reset conference and the technology sessions at the conference. Hakeem gets into the dangers of digital ID and how to opt out of this dystopian system by using the Abov…
Join us at the People's Reset, September 27-29 in Bath, UK! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Dan and Hakeem explain their student mindset when it comes to constantly learning new things and hopefully meeting new people at the coming People's Reset conference that is happening September 27-29 in Bath, UK!What do…
AI Surveillance & Pre-Crime: On the Sentient World Simulation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Since 2006 the U.S. Department of Defense and Homeland Security have been working on a decidedly Orwellian computer simulation called the Sentient World Simulation (SWS). This virtual world, a kind of digital twin, is de…
Telegram CEO's Arrest, Is Telegram Still Safe? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of Telegram Messenger, was arrested last Saturday by French authorities. Authorities were executing an arrest warrant issued by (OFMIN), Office Mineurs which deals with offens…
VIDEO: How Does Above Phone Protect Your Data? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:13
Hakeem Anwar and Dan Astin Gregory discuss what is different about the Above Phone, how it protects you and what types of protection it offers to safeguard your personal data from surveillance and invasive tracking. Supp…
Dan Astin Gregory & Hakeem Anwar on Big Tech vs Open Source [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:49
Dan Astin Gregory and Hakeem Anwar get into the primary differences of how to distinguish between proprietary and open source technology.Support our work:https://www.tiktok.com/@takebackourtechhttps://x.com/abovephonehtt…
Dan Astin Gregory & Hakeem Anwar on Surveillance Capitalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:10
Dan Astin Gregory and Hakeem Anwar discuss the dangers of big tech monopolies that have no transparency and the growing dystopian applications of surveillance capitalism. Support our work:https://www.tiktok.com/@takeback…
VIDEO TUTORIAL: How to Use Telegram Without a Phone Number [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44
Ever wonder about how you can use Telegram anonymously without a phone number attached to your identity? Hakeem Anwar from Take Back Our Tech and Above Phone breaks it down for you!Follow us:https://www.tiktok.com/@takeb…