#TBOT Show 6: Big Tech Power Plays, WiFi Sense Tingling, ICE See You, Going Back IRL

#TBOT Show 6: Big Tech Power Plays, WiFi Sense Tingling, ICE See You, Going Back IRL

Author: The most important weekly tech news + solutions. July 7, 2025 Duration: 33:31

Welcome back to the TBOT show (now with a little positive news šŸ’˜)

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 centers are located.

Is Your WiFi sense tingling? - US Internet Giant, Comcast just rolled out a new ā€œWifi-Motionā€ feature, which tracks movement in your house by measuring WiFi signals. Learn about the history of this technology and how it can see through walls.

ICE See You: A developer faces political pressure after their app ā€œICE Blockā€ gains 240,000 users that report on the movements of Immigrations Enforcement. Politicians are pissed, threatening criminal charges. Is the app legal? Is it moral? What other apps exist like it?

Going back IRL: Sick of phone zombies? Youths in the Netherlands are too, ditching the devices for ā€œOffline Clubā€. Learn more abot the digital detox movement.

SOLUTION - Convert Units using FOSS Software: Want to calculate how much power your local data center is taking from the grid? ConverterNOW is a great app available on F-Droid that will help you with unit converisons.

šŸŖ„ 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 that)

⭐ PLUS - Each story comes with recommendations and there’s one cool tech trick or open-source solution every week.

We’ll be publishing full posts and clips of each of these stories next week!

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https://takebackourtech.org



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tbot.substack.com/subscribe

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…
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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…