Why Do You Need Telegram Premium To Prevent Strangers From Messaging You?

From my latest article on Telegram's CEO Pave Durov.

One thing bothered me about the interview. We do need ask Pavel some hard questions. Why do you have to pay for the ability to prevent spammers from contacting you? Yes - that’s right, you need to pay for Telegram premium to prevent unknown people from sending you messages. 99% of the time - these are scammers preying on people. And most of the spammers use Telegram premium to improve their deliverability. Is Telegram making money of scammers and their victims?

On one hand, I am thankful that Telegram kept a place for dissident voices while most platforms were censoring over the past 4 years. On the other hand, we should demand more from a company that supposedly champions their user’s privacy and freedom.

The other day I took my nephew to get a smoothie. While we were checking out the lady at the counter asked for a name for the order. I responded with "David". My nephew looked at me with confusion.

As we walked away I explained that Uncle Derrick values privacy and that there's no reason restaurants need to know your name to make a smoothie for you. I told him about the world before he was born in 2012 and how people used to care about protecting their private information. I said that even though giving a name is "not a big deal" its just one way I flex my privacy muscle and encouraged him to be careful about handing over his personal data while he's playing on his phone.

He responded, "Ok Uncle David", and proceeded to tell me his favorite alias.

⚡ The Hidden Cost of Convenience

Windows is pushing users toward the cloud—without asking. Your files, your settings, your digital life moved and managed remotely, often without your explicit consent. Add to that the constant stream of forced updates, and you’ve got a system that prioritizes control over user rights. Convenience might feel smooth, but it comes with serious risks when corporations decide what happens to your data.

📺 This clip is from our webinar *What’s Your Privacy Score?* — catch the full replay here!

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🫶 @takebackourtech
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This morning I rose before the sun and listened to the neighborhood wake up. There’s a wonderful lineage of birds near me, and I always appreciate their morning song. One song is peculiarly similar to a car alarm - the same types of horn patterns, repeated one after another.

An alarm brashly notifies everyone around it, getting everyone in earshot into a panic, or annoyance - its the loudest noise out there. Someone or something has crossed the machine’s line and it will not stand for it.

I took a moment to appreciate this bird’s remix, the peaceful way it sung the noises into something worth listening to, with its peaceful pauses and gentle tweets. Singing out loud and leaving space, longing for a reply from a mate?

It reminds me that no matter what humans come up with next, the inorganic, cold, artifical things we can conjure - nature can always find a way to bring us back.

For anyone out there who needs this - the OG feel good frequencies: https://invidious.nerdvpn.de/watch?v=kQbP_3YQqQw

oh and daily reminder make like a cricket and go touch grass 🦗

🚨 Texans Will Soon Be Forced to Verify Their Age To Download Apps

Starting Jan 2026, Texas will require age verification for all app store downloads - Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

This means Texans will have to upload documents or use a Digital ID. Kids under 18 need a parent-linked account to install anything.

This doesn't stop harmful content. It enrolls everyone—not just kids—into the digital ID system.

⚠️ 9+ states pushing similar laws. Think it's a coincidence?

Workarounds:
– Use F-Droid or Aurora Store (not available on iPhone)
– Download directly from developers
– Ditch Big Tech phones for privacy-respecting options

Want solutions? Read the full article on Substack

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⚡️Travel Light. Connect Instantly. Stay Private.
@abovephone

eSIM + Above DataSIM = unstoppable mobile freedom.

🌎 Download a plan instantly in 50+ countries
🛡️ No ID needed — your info stays with you
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No carrier contracts. No surveillance.
Learn more & grab your Above DataSIM:

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🚨 New Interview Out Now!

I joined Dr. Trozzi to break down how Big Tech turned convenience into control—and why that should concern all of us.

We covered the illusion of safety, the systems behind your screen, and the real tools you can use to take back your digital freedom.

🎧 Watch the full interview here
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🫶 @takebackourtech
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We are in the final days of fundraising for The Pyramid of Power.

We are aiming to raise $1,000 in the next couple days.

If you haven't yet invested in this project, please consider investing $25 USD. Everyone who invests at least 25 bucks will be invited to join me in a private telegram group for exclusive updates on the final chapter of the series.

This is the last time I will ask for your financial support for this project. I am so humbled and grateful to everyone who has supported and I couldn't have come this far without you.

Thanks for the support! If you can spare it, please consider investing in the FINAL days of our FINAL crowdfunding.

Invest here: https://fundrazr.com/thepopfinal

🧠 RISC-V: The Open Processor Architecture We Deserve

What’s the future for CPUs? Oregon based company AheadComputing are making a bet on RISC-V. Four of the top chip architects from Intel are now attempt to build the “biggest, baddest CPU in the world” - according to Debbie Marr, the AheadComputing’s CEO.

RISC-V is revolutionary in a few ways:

•One, any company can implement the RISC-V architecture in a processor without paying licensing fees or royalties
•Two, RISC-V is a modular architecture, meaning that there’s a base set of instructions and a number of extensions - so that a processor can be tweaked as needed

Note that RISC-V isn’t an actual processor. It’s an open spec without licensing, which means that anyone can design a processor that implements RISC-V and write software for it.

This sets the stage for an open-source processor, but ultimately depends on the company that develops the processor.

Read the full article on Substack

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⚡ Coinbase Gave Up Your Info
@takebackourtech

On a recent segment of The Daily Pulse with Zeee Media, I broke down what's been happening with Coinbase. The U.S. government approached them for user data, and Coinbase eventually complied—handing over personal info linked to wallets, transactions, and more.

After that, the IRS began contacting users directly, asking if they held crypto—because they already had access to keys and details. This is a wake-up call: if you don’t control your keys, you don’t control your crypto.

📍 Take precautions. Know where your assets are stored—and who can access them.

Watch the full show here: https://above.sh/GHXveM

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📂 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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The TBOT Show #4 - Android Open Source Still Alive, Trump Phone, XMR Based DarkNetMarket Taken Down, Big Tech Execs Now Colonels, Find Your Phone Privately

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.

WATCH ON SUBSTACK

🎊 *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.

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#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

The TBOT Show #4

🎙️ Every Friday, Hakeem breaks down the tech news that matters — with tools, tricks, and open-source solutions.

📺 WATCH ON SUBSTACK

You ready for the download?

Android Open Source Is Alive - Google cuts access to key components — can privacy ROMs survive?

Trump Phone - Trump launches a gold phone & mobile service. But is it private?

Biggest DarkNetMarket Takedown - $300M Monero market taken down, moderator arrested.

Big Tech Executives Turned Colonels? - Execs from Meta, Palantir, and OpenAI sworn into the U.S. military.

Find Your Phone and Friends, Privately - A new app lets you locate your people—no big tech needed.

#TBOT related news:

SIM swapping Survival Guide
5 Must Have Privacy Settings
Get privacy gear

Personal advertising in the future according to Minority report:

https://youtu.be/7bXJ_obaiYQ

Why I don't use AI to write even though I've got a self-hosted setup. The magic a lot of the times is in the process. That's how you grow.

ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills

Via: Time:

The study divided 54 subjects—18 to 39 year-olds from the Boston area—into three groups, and asked them to write several SAT essays using OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s search engine, and nothing at all, respectively. Researchers used an EEG to record the writers’ brain activity across 32 regions, and found that of the three groups,…

https://www.cryptogon.com/?p=73029

Hey peeps,

Anyone feeling like they need a digital detox - and perhaps a detox in general?

Let's take a trip to the Amazon Rainforest.

If you're looking for a spiritual retreat, then join me at SEEDS retreat in Ecuador - a radical 11-day Amazon jungle experience diving deep into "Regenerative Culture."

11 Days: no phones, no radiation, no surveillance. A raw/natural diet, and detox.

We'll connect to the ancient technology of the Amazon itself, learning from indigenous communities who never lost their Earth connection.

This is what technology should serve: human flourishing, community resilience, and planetary healing.

Sometimes taking back our tech means putting it down and remembering who we are without it.

Ready for life sovereignty?

Sign up here

Meet IRL? Yup - I'll be there, and I'd love to meet those who want better for technology and for themselves.

Use Code #TBOT for 10% off.

🌱 SEEDS Transcendence

One of my role models, legendary Pakistani Abdul Sattar Edhi dedicated his entire life to serving the poor, sick, and under-served of his country and around the world.

He started off with $200 in donations, and used this purchased an ambulance to be able to transport the sick and bury the dead.

He passed in 2016, but left behind a legacy. His foundation has grown to over 300 clinics, schools, funeral services, ambulance stations, food serving points, work training, orphan shelters - all provided for free to anyone who needs help, regardless of race or religion.

He received donations from the public, but always refused government grants, NGOs or political organizations. Today I watched this clip from VICE and it reminded me that he was somewhat of an anarchist. And I guess you'd have to be an anarchist to make as much of an impact helping people as he did.

https://youtu.be/XiMv95Z-bow

In response to being asked about the unrest in Pakistan:

This is a product of governments. Where there's government, groups form. Where there's religion, groups form. And no one is doing any work. Just slogans, speeches, and divisions. The public is good, but they've been divided into groups and pit against each other. That's where the crime comes from.

Start something that helps others, even in times of extreme hardship... Be a human, bring out each other's humanity. Fix the thousands of divisions between us.

📱De-Googled Phones Staying Alive

Google removed device trees from Android 16, making it harder for GrapheneOS and others to build private, de-Googled phones. These trees were crucial for adapting Android to real devices—now developers must reverse engineer it all.

GrapheneOS is biting the bullet to make this happen despite this challenge. I donated $5,000 to support their work and encourage you to do the same: grapheneos.org/donate

There are few ways to use a phone privately today—and Google is making it harder. The future of private Android depends on supporting open-source alternatives.

Support matters. Spread the word.

💡Want solutions? Read the full article on Substack

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