We've been quiet recently because Mark Goodwin and I have been working to write the most comprehensive investigation into Polymarket's origins and ambitions to date.

We found that Polymarket's "official" origin story, that Shayne Coplan founded the company alone in 2020 and then built "the company in his bathroom", is a lie. Polymarket really started years earlier as another company called TokenBnk that was deeply tied to Israeli interests, specifically a crypto company founded by Benjamin Netanyahu's niece and nephew. Coplan has actively tried to obfuscate this company from his story and it's not the only thing either.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we unravel the real history of Polymarket, directly connecting the company to Peter Thiel's efforts to resurrect controversial DARPA programs from its now defunct Information Awareness Office. Polymarket appears to have been chosen by Thiel and his associates to succeed in resurrecting DARPA's Policy Analysis Market where another Thiel-linked company, Augur, had previously failed.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we explore the current influence of prediction markets and Polymarket, including how an insidious effort to have prediction markets replace representative democracy as a governance model is already being slowly implemented by the White House.

Read Part 1 here: https://unlimitedhangout.com/2026/06/investigative-series/the-secret-history-of-polymarket-part-1/

⚡️ Are We Entering an Age of Innovation—or Digital Control?

I recently joined The Fifth Dimension for a conversation about AI, digital identity, surveillance, privacy, and what it means to stay free in an increasingly connected world.
We explored the rise of technocracy, the AI infrastructure boom, and practical ways to reclaim personal agency without abandoning technology altogether.

🪧 Watch the full interview on Substack
📱 Discover privacy-first technology with Above

➡️ Our community is shifting to SimpleX. Come be part of it!

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | X

AI Needs More Power. Your Neighborhood Might Pay for It.

To meet AI’s power demands, companies propose building their own power plants. But can they really stay independent of the grid? If it’s powering a data center or powering your neighborhood, which will take priority? We can see clear examples of communities who are being told there is just not enough power for them.

🪧 Watch the full interview here
🗺 Get the truth about data centers
➡️ Our community is shifting to SimpleX. Come be part of it!

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | X

Who Really Profits from Data Centers?

With my friend Charlie at Macroaggressions, we talked about the truth: promised jobs rarely come, but politicians and companies get huge incentives. Yet we can push for transparency, organize and work together to resist this and remember that community is incredibly powerful.

📺 Watch full interview here
💧 Get the truth about data centers

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | SimpleX

🎇 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).
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• All major cards, cryptocurrency, and payment plans (US only) accepted at checkout.

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

👉 Shop the flash sale

today I deleted hundreds of telegram groups i was subscribed to.

afterwards it felt i lost about 30 pounds of mental weight.

it turns out i don't need to be tuned into the latest wars, geopolitics news, food shortages, surveillance bills, or whatever bullshit in real time.

first and foremost i am taking back control of my mind, i suggest you do the same.

📂 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.

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AI Expansion

Is the AI infrastructure boom about surveillance or they building for something they haven’t even told us about? We unpack why officials treat AI like a weapon and why China’s data centers are now sitting empty.

🪧 Watch the full interview here
🗺 Get the truth about data centers
➡️ Our community is shifting to SimpleX. Come be part of it!

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | X

Alternatives to Big Tech

On the Union of the Unwanted, we debated whether regional mesh networks, privacy-first phones like Above Phone, and decentralized tools could offer a real alternative to centralized systems.

Could embracing these technologies actually shift the balance of power?

🪧 Watch the full episode here
📱 Learn more about Above Phone
➡️ Our community is shifting to SimpleX. Come be part of it!

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | X

What Happens When Communication Leaves Telecom Behind?

I talked with Jimmy Dore about a future where communication is more private, more flexible, and less dependent on telecom giants.

Could internet-based calling and encrypted messaging eventually replace what we think of as phone service today?

🪧 Watch the full interview
📱 Learn more about Above Phone
➡️ Our community is shifting to SimpleX. Come be part of it!

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | X

Data Centers or High-Speed Rail?

In 2025, $2.5 trillion went into AI data centers, enough to fund national infrastructure projects. Instead, these centers are popping up and using up to 25% of local power. How does your area compare?

🪧 Watch the full interview here
🗺 Get the truth about data centers
➡️ Our community is shifting to SimpleX. Come be part of it!

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | X

⚡️ A Wake-Up Call for Everyone

The data center issue can be overwhelming because it’s threatening so much but the fact that it’s bringing communities together, political labels aside, is a pretty cool thing. As a community, we can change the course of future of data centers in our area, other towns have done it.

📺 Watch the full interview
🌐 Explore the map to take action
🔍 Learn about privacy-first alternatives

—
@takebackourtech
Website | XMPP | Substack | SimpleX

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/

📂 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