Building for digital sovereignty isn't just about code—it's about grit. I’m joining Richard Grove for VIP Summit 5 to share the "untold stories" of the crashes and obstacles we faced while building Above Phone, and how we turned those setbacks into a mission for freedom.

📅 Saturday, March 7th @ 12 PM ET 👉 Register now!

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🫶 @takebackourtech
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New Pipe: Stream Without Being Watched

Curious about a YouTube experience without the trackers? In our Mindful Media webinar, we get into NewPipe on Above Phone, an open-source wrapper that lets you stream, download, and even play in the background without feeding the data beast.

👉 Watch the full webinar here
📱 Get your privacy gear

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🫶 @takebackourtech
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Securing Your Digital Identity

In this webinar, we dive into the importance of sovereign security. Learn from real-life stories about the dangers of insecure password storage and discover how to protect your digital life.

👉 Watch the full webinar
🔒 Learn more about digital sovereignty here

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🫶 @takebackourtech
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Building a private alternative to big tech hasn't been a straight line. There has been pressure, obstacles, and moments where we wondered if the whole thing would survive.

This Saturday at VIP Summit 5, I am sitting down with Richard Grove to talk about the crashes we hit while building Above Phone and how we turned those moments into fuel for a bigger mission.

📅 Saturday, March 7th, 2026 at 12 PM ET 👉 Register now!

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

📂 Want alternative news? Check out these channels 📢

#TBOT is now part of GeopoliticsLive, a collection of channels covering geopolitics, politics, global news, economy, and more. All English speaking! Stay informed.

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The Story Behind Telegram’s Founders

Discover the fascinating history of Telegram and its founders, Pavel and Nikolai Durov. From creating Russia’s VKontakte to launching Telegram, explore how their commitment to privacy and freedom shaped one of the world’s most popular apps.

👉 Watch the full webinar
🔒 Dive deeper into privacy and tech freedom here

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
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SNEAK PREVIEW - FOSS War Room @ Parallel Society 2026

Wondering what the f*** we should do about tyrannical tech lockdowns?

This weekend in Portugal I asked that very question to some of the world’s most qualified minds at Parallel Society  2026. In my FOSS War Room talk I laid out five pressing tech challenges we are facing, and the audience jumped in with solutions 🌟

Thanks to Logos for the invitation—honored to share the stage with trailblazers like Jarrad Hope (Logos), Amir Taaki (DarkFi), among other talented people.

If you don't know about Logos, they produced the event and are authoring a comprehensive technology stack for storage, messaging, and more; the primitives we need for free software of the future.

Check out important tech:
https://logos.co/
https://dark.fi/

FULL VIDEO RELEASED THIS WEEK, STAY TUNED.

🫶 @takebackourtech
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#TBOT 22: Age Verification Computers, War & AI, Data Centers Drained by AI, GrapheneOS & Motorola

Here are this week’s stories:

Age Verification Comes to Your Computer:
A new Colorado bill is attempting to get Apple and Microsoft to enforce age checks on their new operating systems. If you thought digital ID was going to stay on your phone, think again.

Anthropic, OpenAI, and the War State:
Anthropic pushed back against mass domestic surveillance demands from the Department of War, while OpenAI continues embracing major partnerships with Microsoft, Amazon, and the war machine.

AI Data Centers Are Draining the Grid:
People are finally starting to pay attention to the electricity crunch caused by AI data centers.

Motorola Could Be GrapheneOS’s Next Big Move:
GrapheneOS and Motorola may be opening the door to privacy-focused hardware beyond the Pixel line.

👀 Watch the full show on Substack

📲The Pixel 10 is now at Above if you’re ready for a a more intentional phone setup

Here's some frequencies for your Chakras this morning, quite pleasant to have in the background while you're being.

https://chakradio.app/

How Citizen Lab Helps Expose Threats

In the webinar, Hidden Signs Your Phone is Compromised, I shared how orgs like Citizen Lab and Amnesty uncover spyware targeting activists and journalists. These groups study exploits, publish reports, and then big vendors like Apple patch the vulnerabilities. Without them, many threats would go unseen.

🪧 Watch the full webinar
📲 Grab your privacy gear and take back control

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
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How Accurate Is Cell Tower Tracking?

We explore how call detail records can only give rough estimates of location. With overlapping cell tower signals and manual analysis, it’s far from precise. No wonder investigators prefer big tech location data over these complex plots.

👉 Watch the full webinar
📱 Get your privacy gear here

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

The History and Evolution of GPS

From the early radar innovations of the 1930s and 40s to the launch of GPS satellites, geolocation has come a long way. Discover how GPS works and how it’s evolved into the global navigation system we rely on today.

👉 Watch the full webinar
🛰 Explore open-source GPS tools here

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
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InnerTune: Free Your Music

With InnerTune, you get all the music from YouTube Music but no ads, no account needed, and you can download tracks directly. Control your files, play them offline, and finally enjoy your music on your terms.

👉 Watch the full webinar
📱 Learn more about Above’s privacy ecosystem

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
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If you're trying to follow along about my latest InnerTune post, the app may have gone defunct after some time without updates. My bad!

Try these apps instead:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.gokadzev.musify.fdroid/
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.dd3boh.outertune/

And we comply with downloading their ticketing apps?

‘These People Are So Stupid’: Live Nation Ticketing Directors Bragged About Charging High Fees in Slack Messages

In a statement, Live Nation says this language "absolutely doesn't reflect our values or how we operate."

Live Nation has settled with the Department of Justice to end federal antitrust claims — but the company is still under the microscope of public court proceedings.

This scrutiny was on full display after a trove of embarrassing Slack messages was unsealed on the court docket on Thursday (March 11). These internal messages were sent in 2022 between Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold, who at the time were both regional ticketing directors at Live Nation, responsible for the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre and Jiffy Lube Live amphitheater, respectively.

In the messages, the men boasted about charging high parking fees. At one point, Baker sent a screenshot showing that Live Nation had grossed more than $666,000 on premier parking in 2021 and then wrote, “Robbing them blind baby. That’s how we do.” Weinhold replied, “lol.”

At another point, Baker wrote, “these people are so stupid,” and Weinhold replied, “I have VIP parking up to $250 lol.” Baker then said, “I almost feel bad taking advantage of them. BAHAHAHAHA.”

https://www.billboard.com/pro/live-nation-employees-slack-messages-unsealed-lawsuit/

📂 Want alternative news? Check out these channels 📢

#TBOT is now part of GeopoliticsLive, a collection of channels covering geopolitics, politics, global news, economy, and more. All English speaking! Stay informed.

Whether you're seeking in-depth analysis, breaking news, or expert insights, our catalog has got you covered.

👉 ADD CHANNELS

Master Your Security with Open-Source Tools

Discover the power of KeePass and Aegis Authenticator! Learn how to securely manage your passwords with one strong master password and protect your accounts with open-source two-factor authentication. Say goodbye to proprietary solutions and keep your data safe!

👉 Watch the full webinar
🔐 Explore Above

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
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Telegram and the World Economic Forum: Unpacking the Connection

Explore the intriguing link between Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, and the World Economic Forum. Delve into how his past nomination as a Young Global Leader sparks questions about privacy, freedom, and the platform’s future.

👉 Watch the full webinar
📱 Take back control of your data

—
🫶 @takebackourtech
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Cloud AI is not “in the cloud.” It lives in massive data centers that burn power, consume water, and turn your prompts into someone else’s asset.

Ethical AI is the alternative: run AI locally on your own device, keep data on-device, and define what the model can see. You can even train it on your own library so you’re not outsourcing your thinking to a black box.

Start small: use AI to save time on repetitive tasks, but keep research, judgment, and sensitive info off commercial tools.

🔗 Read the full blog post

📱 Above Phone is privacy by design, learn more here