⚡️Privacy Is Freedom

At some point, you have to take responsibility for what you’re putting out there. For some people, this is life or death.

I’m looking ahead to 2027, where digital ID starts becoming a requirement for businesses across the EU and beyond. That’s not just policy. That’s infrastructure for control.

So the answer is alternatives. Alternative software, alternative businesses, and bringing things back in person where possible.

Privacy is everything.

🪧 Watch the full interview here

📱 Privacy shouldn’t be complicated. Above Phone makes it simple.

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🫶 @takebackourtech
📩 WEBSITE & NEWSLETTER | 🎥 VIDEOS| XMPP | SUBSTACK

Data-only SIM plans can be confusing, but choosing the right one comes down to compatibility, location, plan type, data needs, activation, and privacy.

All Above Phone devices are eSIM compatible by default, but your device also needs to be carrier unlocked. From there, choose the country or region where you’ll use the eSIM, then decide between a monthly subscription for regular use or prepaid for travel and occasional access.

With Above DataSIM, activation is simple: scan the QR code sent to your email and you’re ready to go.

No identity verification is required, and we don’t collect unnecessary personal data.

🔗 Read the full blog post here

📱 Stay connected without handing your life to the carriers. Go Above with DataSIM.

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
📩 WEBSITE & NEWSLETTER | 🎥 VIDEOS| XMPP | SUBSTACK

We’re proud to partner with the Better Way Conference New England for a giveaway built around what we do best: making privacy practical.

The winner will receive a complete Above Phone bundle, including a ready-to-use privacy phone, protective gear, a storage drive, and expert support to help them get started.

Enter now
https://betterwayconference.org/giveaway

Learn more: https://abovephone.com/betterway/

📲The Pixel 10 Lineup, Rebuilt for Privacy

The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold run GrapheneOS and come fully de-Googled, configured, secured, and ready to use out of the box.

Instead of starting with built-in Google services, tracking, and unnecessary setup, Above prepares your device with privacy-focused apps, safer defaults, and support so you can actually use the phone without giving up your data.

With the Pixel 10 lineup, you get premium performance, long-lasting battery life, advanced security, and more options to choose the phone that fits your workflow.

🔗 Read the full blog post here

📱 Get the latest Pixel hardware without the Big Tech defaults.

💻 Reclaim Control with Above Book

A Linux laptop gives you something most mainstream systems no longer prioritize: control.

Instead of being locked into ecosystems built around data collection, subscriptions, forced updates, and silent tracking, you get an operating system built around transparency, customization, and user ownership.

The Above book is ready to use out of the box, with open-source apps, full disk encryption, active firewalls, a privacy-hardened browser, and no big tech integrations.

Switching isn’t just about choosing a different operating system. It’s about reclaiming your digital sovereignty and using a device that respects your privacy by default, not as an afterthought.

🔗 Read the full blog post

💻 Own your computer. Own your journey.

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
📩 WEBSITE & NEWSLETTER | 🎥 VIDEOS| XMPP | SUBSTACK

Prioritizing your privacy is an act of resistance to the digital IDs sweeping the globe.

Above can help: http://abovephone.com

What’s Really Behind Digital ID Standards?

Efrat Fenigson and I unpack how W3C Verifiable Credentials and ISO 18013-5 are quietly becoming the global backbone for digital ID. These standards let us model any claim, like your legal identity, even your car ownership, but without strong privacy safeguards, they risk being abused. As the EU, UK, and others roll them out, we must ask: can we trust them with our most personal data?

🎥 Watch the full interview here
📱 Take back control over your digital life with Above

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
📩 WEBSITE & NEWSLETTER | 🎥 VIDEOS| XMPP | SUBSTACK

The future is shaped by what we participate in. If we keep feeding big tech, we get their future. If we choose differently, we build something else.

Take the first step towards digital independence: abovephone.com

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CKnBoqWBUIA

🎇 The countdown is on!

Our 4th of July flash sale is here, and the deals are on fire:

📱 Phones—Pixel 9a, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7a B‑Grade
💻 Laptops—Quantum and Magnesium

💰 Save up to $449!

Why shop Above?
• Freedom from big tech—degoogled and Linux devices that work for you, not the other way around.
• 100 % human support (real people, real answers, real fast).
• Hassle‑free returns & refunds.
• All major cards, cryptocurrency, and payment plans (US only) accepted at checkout.

⏰ Hurry! Sale ends July 4th at midnight CDT.

👉 Shop the flash sale

We’re back on Substack!

Follow Above for privacy education, tech tutorials, webinar clips, open-source tools, and practical steps toward digital sovereignty.

https://abovephone.substack.com/

🚨 Our AI Data Center Ecology Report is now available!

Over the past few months, we've researched the rapid expansion of AI data centers, their growing demand for electricity and water, their impact on local communities, and the policies driving this growth.

Inside the report, you'll find:
• Where AI data centers are being built
• Power and water consumption
• Environmental and community impacts
• The biggest industry players
• Practical steps you can take

📖 Read the report

If you find it valuable, please share it.

The more people who understand what's happening, the better informed the public discussion can be.

For those who prefer audio or video, watch our report webinar.

Thank you for your patience, support, and helping us spread the word!