Techlore Talks

You don't have to trust Obscura—you just have to trust that not both Obscura and Mullvad are compromised. Henry sat down with Carl, former Bitcoin Core developer and founder of Obscura VPN, to discuss how it's the first VPN that mathematically can't log your activity, what makes it censorship-resistant against networks like the Great Firewall, and what it really means to build privacy that's more than "a pinky promise."🔗 LINKSObscura: https://obscura.netGitHub: https://github.com/Sovereign-Engineering/obscuravpn-clientTrust, 2-Party Relays, and QUIC: https://obscura.net/blog/bootstrapping-trust/Mullvad: https://mullvad.net⏱️ TIMESTAMPS0:00:00 INTRO00:01:50 CARL'S BACKGROUND00:10:47 APPLE'S PRIVATE RELAY00:17:11 TRUSTLESS MODELS00:19:05 MULTI-PARTY RELAY PARTNERSHIP00:21:39 TRADITIONAL MULTI-HOP00:23:39 CENSORSHIP RESISTANCE00:27:33 MULLVAD VS. OBSCURA TRAFFIC00:29:35 EXIT IP00:30:18 BLOCKS, CAPTCHA, & SPLIT TUNNELING00:31:16 CUSTOM DNS00:32:41 PARTNERING WITH MULLVAD00:36:05 OBSCURA VS. PRIVATE RELAY00:37:10 OBSCURA VS. MULLVAD00:38:33 OBSCURA VS. DECENTRALIZED VPNS00:40:57 OBSCURA VS. TOR00:41:58 REPRODUCIBLE BUILDS00:50:23 CLIENTS & DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE00:55:24 SPEED00:59:06 DEFAULTS VS. CUSTOMIZATION01:00:48 PRICING01:02:43 OPEN SOURCE01:03:34 THE OBSCURA TEAM01:05:39 THOUGHTS ON THE VPN INDUSTRY01:07:49 OUTRO🧡 SUPPORT TECHLOREKeep Techlore Talks independent & growing: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Digital Markets Act is a can opener for Big Tech's walled gardens, forcing Apple, Google, and Microsoft to open their platforms whether they like it or not. Henry sat down with Lucas Lasota from the FSFE (Free Software Foundation of Europe) to understand what the DMA actually does, why Big Tech is fighting it in court, and what it means for open source software and your digital freedom.Topics Covered:The Digital Markets Act explained - how the EU is regulating Big Tech platforms (and what's missing from the law)Interoperability: the "can opener" for competition - why forcing WhatsApp, Apple, and Google to work with smaller apps mattersApple's gatekeeping tactics - billion-euro barriers and why no independent app stores exist on iPhone yetSmall tech vs Big Tech - why 94% of EU software comes from companies with less than 9 employees (and why the DMA forgot them)Links:Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE): https://fsfe.orgFree Software Foundation (FSF US): https://www.fsf.orgPublic Money, Public Code campaign: https://publiccode.eu⏱️ TIMESTAMPS0:00:00 INTRO00:01:36 WHAT IS THE FSFE?00:04:12 LUCAS' ROLE AT FSFE00:05:44 INTRO TO THE DMA00:09:45 THOUGHTS ON REGULATION00:12:47 PUBLIC MONEY, PUBLIC CODE00:21:25 BREAKDOWN OF THE DMA00:30:54 DMA ENFORCEMENTS00:31:44 INTEROPERABILITY00:36:20 DMA ENFORCEMENTS (CONT'D)00:38:50 DMA CRITICISMS00:50:41 USB-C ON IPHONES00:53:03 APPLE'S "MALICIOUS COMPLIANCE"00:56:57 UNDERSTANDING THE EU01:02:12 EU COMMISSION & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS01:06:58 DMA'S GLOBAL INFLUENCE01:11:57 BIG TECH + INTERPRETATION OF LAW01:18:23 OUTRO🧡 SUPPORT TECHLOREKeep Techlore Talks independent & growing: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This special compilation episode brings together exclusive interviews from the Ad Filtering Dev Summit (AFDS) in October 2024. Henry sat down with developers and leaders from AdGuard, Brave, and the creator of the legendary Peter Lowe block list to discuss the state of ad blocking, new privacy features, and the future of tracking protection.Featured Interviews:Andre (AdGuard CTO) - Apple's new system-wide filtering API and what it means for iOS privacySofia Orlova (AdGuard UX Writer) - Designing ad blockers for everyone from "grannies to techies"Anton Lazarev - How Brave Shields works, AI privacy features, and why native ad blocking beats extensionsPeter Lowe - The 28-year journey of maintaining one of the internet's oldest and most trusted block listsTopics Covered:Apple's new URL filtering API for iOS/macOSSystem-wide ad blocking vs browser-only protectionManifest V3 and the future of extension-based blockersPrivacy-focused AI tools in browsersThe philosophy behind different ad blocking approachesHow tracking actually works (and why it's creepy)Links:AFDS Recap Video: https://youtu.be/dr7XSnbyv7w🧡 SUPPORT TECHLOREKeep Techlore Talks independent & growing: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a different kind of Techlore Talks. Henry sits down with Marloes de Koning, a Dutch tech reporter from NRC. This wide-ranging conversation explores tech policy from a journalist's perspective, and asks hard questions about age verification, digital sovereignty, news consumption, the rules & role of journalism, and more.🧡 SUPPORT TECHLOREKeep Techlore Talks independent & growing: https://techlore.tech/support🔗 TAKE ACTION• NRC: https://www.nrc.nl• Twitter/X: https://x.com/MarloesdeK• Marloes' Age Verification article: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/04/19/het-hoofdpijndossier-van-de-porno-industrie-controleren-hoe-oud-je-bezoekers-zijn-a4196562• Marloes' Tornado Cash article: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/03/25/hoe-een-rus-uit-amstelveen-met-zijn-cryptomixer-voor-de-rechter-in-den-bosch-belandt-a4194203• Marloes' Birthday of the Cookie article: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/10/11/hoe-het-internet-een-geheugen-kreeg-a4868671⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 INTRO01:27 EARLY YEARS IN JOURNALISM02:25 LEARNING & WRITING ABOUT TECH04:28 DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY07:08 LOCATION OF DATA/COMPANIES09:01 THE RULES OF JOURNALISM10:31 THE ROLE OF JOURNALISM19:11 INCORRECT ASSUMPTIONS20:34 HOW TO FIND TRUSTWORTHY NEWS30:06 IS CONSUMING NEWS EVEN WORTH IT?34:55 AGE VERIFICATION45:13 DO PEOPLE CARE ABOUT PRIVACY?53:18 MARLOES' DIGITAL RIGHTS JOURNEY55:19 WHAT'S THE END GOAL?57:53 HOW TO FOLLOW MARLOES59:06 OUTRO📰 ABOUT TECHLORE TALKSDeep-dive interviews with experts fighting for digital rights, privacy, and freedom. Hosted by Henry Fisher from Techlore, bringing you insider perspectives on the threats and solutions shaping our digital future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Google just announced a policy that could kill F-Droid and open source app distribution on Android. Marc Prud'hommeaux from F-Droid's Board of Directors calls it an "extinction event"—here's why that matters even if you've never used F-Droid.In this interview, we cover:- Google's new Developer Registration Program and what it actually does- Why F-Droid says this is an "extinction event" for open source- How this impacts ALL Android users (not just F-Droid users)- Why app stores like F-Droid exist and why they matter- Concrete actions you can take RIGHT NOW to fight back- What happens next and how developers are responding🧡 SUPPORT TECHLOREKeep Techlore Talks independent & growing: https://techlore.tech/support🔗 TAKE ACTIONKeep Android Open (sign the petition): https://keepandroidopen.orgF-Droid Website: https://f-droid.org⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Intro01:45 - Marc's Journey to Open Source05:27 - App Store Breakdown (Play Store vs F-Droid vs Apple)10:39 - Malware & App Store Safety19:26 - Google's Plans for Android (The Threat)22:44 - How Bad Is This? (Extinction Event)26:21 - How This Impacts F-Droid31:35 - Why Regular Users Should Care39:45 - Effect on Developers41:29 - What Are The Next Steps?48:54 - Why Is Google Doing This?52:58 - Is Anyone Else Stepping Up?56:35 - What's Next?1:01:34 - Final Words📰 ABOUT TECHLORE TALKSDeep-dive interviews with experts fighting for digital rights, privacy, and freedom. Hosted by Henry Fisher from Techlore, bringing you insider perspectives on the threats and solutions shaping our digital future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even with encryption and 2FA, if someone steals your logged-in laptop, you're compromised. Michael Altfield created Buskill - an open source USB "dead man switch" - to solve this analog attack vector. In this interview, you’ll hear about the real incidents that inspired it, the advocacy work that fueled it, and the collaborative engineering efforts that turned it into a practical tool for protecting sensitive data.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://tech.michaelaltfield.net/• https://buskill.in/• https://github.com/BusKillTimestamps:00:00:00 INTRO00:01:43 WHAT GOT YOU INTO SECURITY?00:02:32 WHEN DID YOU GET INTO SECURITY?00:03:31 WHAT IS A DEAD MAN SWITCH?00:04:33 WHY DID YOU DEVELOP BUSKILL?00:06:25 WHEN DID YOU START MAKING BUSKILL CABLES?00:06:42 HAS THE PRODUCT CHANGED SINCE THEN?00:07:42 WHO ELSE IS BUSKILL FOR?00:09:08 WHAT OPTIONS CAN BE TRIGGERED?00:10:53 IS IT POSSIBLE TO TRIGGER A FALSE OR ALTERNATIVE ENVIRONMENT?00:12:16 CAN YOU WIPE ON WINDOWS OR MACOS?00:13:40 LINUX INSTALL OPTIONS00:14:16 MACOS & WINDOWS INSTALL OPTIONS00:14:25 CAN THIS BE DONE ON MOBILE?00:16:39 REAL-WORLD BUSKILL EXAMPLES00:18:13 BUSKILL COMMUNITY00:19:17 BUSKILL + OPEN SOURCE00:19:44 STL FILES + 3D PRINTING00:20:38 IS IT GOOD TO CREATE IT YOURSELF?00:20:50 INTERDICTION00:21:42 EDWARD SNOWDEN ON INTERDICTION00:23:24 OTHER ACQUISITION METHODS00:25:13 NOVACUSTOM PARTNERSHIP00:26:00 BUSKILL + NICHE LINUX DISTROS00:26:57 QUBES DOM000:28:27 UBUNTU & TAILS00:30:02 DOES BUSKILL SUPPORT CHROMEBOOKS?00:31:19 GETTING INVOLVED IN PRIVACY + ADVOCACY00:33:05 HOW PRIVACY IS VIEWED WORLDWIDE00:36:55 PERSONAL CHALLENGES WITH PRIVACY00:39:11 GO-TO PRIVACY & SECURITY TIPS00:40:11 BUSKILL + SECURITY KEYS?00:43:06 SECURITY THROUGH OBSCURITY00:45:25 CLOUD-BASED PASSWORD MANAGERS00:46:09 LIVING WITHOUT A PHONE00:51:57 CAN IT GET WORSE?00:53:18 PROPRIETARY BROADBAND00:58:49 WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT NOVACUSTOM?01:00:56 OUTRO—Keep Techlore Independent:• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ricardo Signes, Chief Engineer at Fastmail, explains why Gmail's email experience has become increasingly fragmented, and what it would take to actually fix the decades-old IMAP protocol that powers most of the internet. We dive deep into JMAP (the modern replacement Gmail won't adopt), privacy-by-design vs. encryption theater, and the hidden trade-offs between convenience and security that no one talks about. If you've noticed your email client feeling broken, this interview reveals why.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• Fastmail: https://fastmail.com• Fastmail Values Statement: https://fastmail.com/about/values• Cyrus IMAP/JMAP Server (open source): https://www.cyrusimap.org/• JMAP Standard (RFC 8620): https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8620• Web Push Standard (RFC 8030): https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8030• Signal (for encrypted messaging): https://signal.org• Fastmail Data Transparency Report: https://fastmail.com/about/transparencyTimestamps:0:00:00 INTRO00:01:36 WHAT DRAWS YOU TO FASTMAIL?00:03:29 FASTMAIL VALUES & PHILOSOPHY00:08:49 FASTMAIL TARGET USER00:12:43 LACK OF NATIVE E2EE00:16:16 WILL EMAIL EVER BE PRIVATE?00:18:23 FASTMAIL E2EE OPTIONS00:23:43 FASTMAIL CLIENT OPTIONS00:26:18 FASTMAIL INTEGRATIONS00:29:49 BEING GOOD INTERNET CITIZENS00:33:13 BAD INTERNET CITIZENS00:38:26 JMAP & OTHER EMAIL PROTOCOLS00:48:15 REAL-WORLD BENEFITS OF JMAP00:53:07 ISSUES WITH GMAIL ON IOS00:56:06 LACK OF E2EE FOR EMAIL WITH ADP00:57:29 DOES JMAP MAKE E2EE EASIER?01:00:43 FASTMAIL + OPEN SOURCE01:10:48 PROTECTIONS AGAINST BAD ACTORS01:14:46 PHONE NUMBER REQUIREMENTS01:22:55 AUSTRALIAN JURISDICTION01:25:55 THE FASTMAIL TEAM01:28:45 PRODUCTIVITY-FOCUSED EMAIL CLIENTS01:34:27 FASTMAIL + IMAP01:35:49 WHY THE NAME "FASTMAIL"?01:38:27 IS JMAP WHY FASTMAIL IS SO FAST?01:42:03 FASTMAIL'S IDEAL AVATAR + FUTURE PLANS01:46:25 HOW TO FOLLOW RICARDO + FASTMAIL01:48:03 OUTRO—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you sign into Chrome, Google collects your entire browsing history to build behavioral profiles for targeted ads. In this interview, Firefox CTO Bobby Holley breaks down why Mozilla maintains Gecko as an independent engine, how Firefox approaches privacy differently from Google and Apple, and why the stakes for browser independence are higher than ever.Timestamps:00:00 INTRO01:24 CTO DAY IN THE LIFE03:34 STICKING WITH GECKO OVER CHROMIUM06:33 COMPETING ON PRIVACY09:06 PRIVACY IN FIREFOX21:03 INSPIRATION FROM THE TOR PROJECT22:57 WHAT USERS GAIN FROM FIREFOX26:56 THE BEST FIREFOX CONFIGURATION29:59 MANIFEST V2 VS. V3 + AD BLOCKING30:53 MAINTAINING MANIFEST V232:26 UBLOCK ORIGIN BY DEFAULT?33:46 FIREFOX'S APPROACH TO AI39:14 GECKO ON IOS?42:25 FEELINGS ABOUT THE DMA IN EUROPE43:53 WINDOWS DEFAULT BROWSER BEHAVIOR44:52 DMA ENGINE CHOICE PROVISIONS45:13 BEING THE DEFAULT BROWSER ON LINUX46:52 NEW THREATS TO PRIVACY50:33 HOW TO FOLLOW BOBBY & FIREFOX51:47 OUTRO—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Techlore Talks episode, I sit down with Jose Briones to explore whether dumb phones really offer better privacy and how digital minimalism can transform your relationship with technology. Jose breaks down practical strategies for reducing screen time, the importance of device segmentation, and why mindset, not just hardware, matters most. Whether you're considering a dumb phone or looking to reclaim your focus, this conversation will challenge how you think about your devices.Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources to protect your data and reclaim your digital identity.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://josebriones.org/• https://www.dumbphones.org/• https://www.youtube.com/c/josebriones• Jose's interview of Henry: https://josebriones.substack.com/p/building-better-digital-habitsTimestamps:00:00:00 INTRO00:01:24 DUMBPHONES + PRIVACY & DIGITAL RIGHTS00:03:56 WHY ARE DUMBPHONES BETTER FOR PRIVACY?00:05:48 DUMBPHONES VS. MINIMAL SMARTPHONES00:08:57 ADOPTING THE MINDSET00:13:41 ADJUSTING FOR ONLINE WORK00:18:21 HANDLING MISMATCHED EMOTIONS00:22:40 ARE OFFLINE ACTIVITIES IMPORTANT?00:26:12 FINDING A BALANCE WITH ONLINE WORK REQUIREMENTS00:30:16 DIGITAL MINIMALISM + HARDWARE00:35:21 DEVICES & WHERE TO START00:39:42 ENCRYPTED COMMUNICATION00:44:19 WHEN OUR CHOICES IMPACT OTHERS00:48:33 ARE WE ANTI-TECHNOLOGY?00:51:36 HENRY'S IDEAL PHONE00:54:41 CONTENT CREATION & CONSUMPTION00:57:44 HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU?00:59:29 OUTRO—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wessel Klein Snakenborg, founder of NovaCustom, joins me to discuss building privacy-focused laptops with CoreBoot firmware, Intel Management Engine disabling, and full Linux compatibility. We dive deep into their custom hardware approach, Qubes OS certification, supply chain security, and why they chose to compete directly with Big Tech on hardware quality while maintaining complete user control. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://novacustom.com/• https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/index.htmlTimestamps:00:00 Introduction & What Nova Custom Does01:00 Company Origins & The Meaning Behind "Nova Custom"02:35 Extensive Hardware Customization Options03:40 Operating System Choices & Linux Focus04:40 CoreBoot Firmware & Security Features06:15 Target Audience & Market Positioning08:45 Security Features vs Other Linux Laptop Makers10:00 Intel Management Engine: Privacy vs Security12:00 Supply Chain Security & Anti-Tamper Solutions15:45 Global Expansion & Shipping Worldwide16:40 CoreBoot Benefits & Outsourcing Development19:20 Operating System Installation & No-OS Options21:45 Repairability & 7-Year Parts Guarantee23:20 Hardware Business Challenges & Manufacturing25:40 Future AMD Support & OpenSIL Framework27:45 ARM vs Intel Performance Comparisons33:00 Qubes OS Compatibility & Certification37:00 Review Unit Discussion: 16-inch vs 14-inch39:20 Desktop Environment Limitations in Qubes41:45 Custom Hardware Features & Laser Engraving47:20 BusKill Partnership & Security Accessories48:20 Future Plans: New Firmware & Product Expansion51:00 Favorite Privacy Tools & Secure Communication54:20 Contact Information & Where to Find Nova Custom57:00 Closing Thoughts & Support Information—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frank Karlitschek, CEO and founder of Nextcloud, joins me to discuss the evolution from OwnCloud to Nextcloud, the challenges of building sustainable open-source businesses, and why digital sovereignty matters more than ever. We dive deep into Nextcloud Hub 10's new end-to-end encryption features, AI capabilities, and Frank's vision for competing with Big Tech while maintaining user privacy. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://nextcloud.com/team/• https://x.com/fkarlitschek• https://mastodon.social/@KarlitschekTimestamps:00:00 INTRODUCTION00:51 - INTRO TO FRANK01:08 - LIFE BEFORE NEXTCLOUD03:15 - ORIGINS OF OWNCLOUD05:51 - FROM OWNCLOUD TO NEXTCLOUD08:45 - STATE OF OWNCLOUD09:20 - STRUCTURE OF NEXTCLOUD10:23 - OPEN SOURCE + PROFIT?13:21 - NEXTCLOUD FREE VS. PAID16:43 - NEXTCLOUD COMPETITORS18:20 - SELF-HOSTING CHALLENGES22:54 - THIRD PARTY HOSTING25:18 - END-TO-END ENCRYPTION32:24 - NEXTCLOUD HUB 1035:59 - AI PUSHBACK42:51 - NEXTCLOUD AI MODELS44:30 - RECOMMENDED LLM45:13 - FEATURE DEVELOPMENT PLAN47:28 - NEXTCLOUD COMMUNITY50:36 - #1 SELF-HOSTING MISTAKE51:19 - FAVORITE FOSS PROJECT52:27 - FAVORITE LINUX DISTRO & DE53:49 - WHAT'S NEXT?54:51 - MOST EXCITING TECH?56:53 - MOST SCARED ABOUT?—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Viktor Vescei from IVPN gives us a brutally honest VPN interview. He admits you can't truly verify no-logs claims, explains why most audits are "snapshots in time," and reveals why IVPN shut down their affiliate program due to industry-wide misinformation. This is an insider's perspective on what's really broken in the VPN industry and how to actually evaluate providers. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://www.ivpn.net/Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:54 - Viktor's background & journey to IVPN00:04:47 - IVPN's 15-year history00:07:33 - VPN company ownership & acquisition attempts00:11:24 - IVPN's brutally honest blog00:12:56 - White labeling in the VPN industry00:15:55 - VPN use cases beyond privacy00:19:04 - Using a VPN for streaming?00:20:17 - Compartmentalization techniques00:21:32 - Normalizing VPN usage00:22:27 - Privacy vs. streaming compatibility00:25:32 - Websites blocking VPN users00:29:04 - VPN technology deep dive00:30:11 - Are VPN comparison charts useful?00:34:29 - VPN jurisdiction & the "eyes" debate00:42:09 - Multi-hop VPN connections00:44:38 - Threat modeling for VPNs00:45:30 - Picking a VPN server location00:48:44 - Transparency reports & warrant canaries00:52:04 - VPN logging: the uncomfortable truth00:54:42 - Why VPN audits are "snapshots in time"00:55:28 - Diskless servers explained00:57:17 - System transparency project01:00:09 - Being an open source VPN01:01:54 - VPN payment methods (cash & Monero)01:06:09 - Simultaneous device limits01:09:58 - WireGuard history & privacy issues01:14:34 - First-party vs. rented servers01:19:35 - Sponsors & affiliate program problems01:32:15 - VPN provider relationships behind the scenes01:35:04 - Acquiring Safing (Portmaster)01:37:08 - DNS filtering plans01:38:39 - Firewalls (Safing Portmaster integration)01:40:50 - Safing SPN network01:42:05 - IVPN's 2025 roadmap01:44:33 - Outro—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I sit down with Dan Saltman, CEO and founder of Redact.dev, to discuss their approach to data deletion. We dive deep into why people are increasingly concerned about their digital footprints, the technical challenges of building privacy software, why deleting data online is important, data removal services, and Dan's philosophy that "perfect is the enemy of good" when it comes to digital privacy. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.Guest Information:• https://redact.dev/• https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-saltman/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the interview01:00 Daniel Saltman Intro 03:35 Common Use-Cases of Data Deletion Services06:20 Why Bother Deleting Data? Is it even deleted?10:48 How does redact.dev function locally?12:42 Why is redact.dev a desktop program?13:30 Redact vs Jumbo16:46 Privacy & Telemetry practices of Redact.dev?20:30 Does Redact have a relationship with big tech companies?22:16 Are their risks of getting banned for using redact?23:55 Editing Reddit posts vs deleting Reddit posts26:04 Mobile vs Desktop Redact experience29:48 Why is Redact not open source?37:17 Data broker removal services & Redact's approach52:30 Dan's distrust of privacy services56:35 Redact's subscription model & alternatives?01:02:26 Daniel's history & background01:07:08 Future plans and final words—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join me for an in-depth conversation with benny Vasquez, Chair of the AlmaLinux OS Foundation, as we explore the fallout from Red Hat's controversial licensing changes and how AlmaLinux emerged as a community-driven solution. We discuss the technical differences between CentOS Stream, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and AlmaLinux, the importance of open source governance, and the challenges of maintaining a stable enterprise Linux distribution. Whether you're a system administrator affected by these changes or simply interested in the evolving open source landscape, this interview offers valuable insights into the future of enterprise Linux. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.Guest Information:• AlmaLinux: https://almalinux.org/• benny LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennyvasquez/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to benny and AlmaLinux02:48 Explaining What is AlmaLinux and Its Origins06:05 The Evolution of Linux Distribution Flow (Fedora to CentOS)10:00 Why Choose AlmaLinux Over Other Alternatives14:00 Red Hat's License Changes and Their Impact20:20 Exploring the Open Source Philosophy Challenges24:40 Migrating from CentOS to AlmaLinux29:40 Linux for Video Editing and Compatibility Issues32:01 AlmaLinux Organization Structure36:20 The Non-Profit Foundation Approach41:35 benny's Journey with Alma Linux46:40 Daily Driver OS Preferences and Linux Desktop Recommendations48:45 Desktop Environment Recommendations for Linux Beginners49:56 Long-Term Vision for AlmaLinux50:28 Closing Remarks and How to Support Techlore—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This interview dives deep with Dallas, the owner of PrivacyPost.io, to explore the world of secure mail forwarding in the US. We'll unpack the complexities of CMRA vs. residential addresses, the growing importance of end-to-end encryption, and how PrivacyPost caters to digital nomads, RVers, and anyone seeking enhanced privacy with some clever South Dakota workflows!Guest information:PrivacyPost: https://privacypost.ioWorldPost: https://worldpost.io—Timestamps:0:00 Intro0:42 Guest Introduction3:05 What organisations do you run?6:03 What service are you providing?7:47 What separates PrivacyPost from other mail services?11:10 What’s the intersection between the privacy community, digital nomad community, and RVers?16:22 What’s the best solution for most people?20:44 Why are residential addresses so important?24:55 How does wealth affect your address privacy strategy?27:51 Why is South Dakota special?31:26 Are there benefits to PrivacyPost for non South Dakota residents?33:55 Do you need to spend the majority of time in South Dakota to get a residential address there?36:50 How does PrivacyPost work?51:08 Does PrivacyPost manually send your mail E2EE?57:09 Why do you run two services WorldPost & PrivacyPost?1:00:40 Does PrivacyPost have access to your 1583 form and other personal info?1:03:53 What’s the status of your warrant canary?1:10:37 Please don’t use abuse Worldpost.io1:16:45 How to get in contact with Dallas from PrivacyPost.io—If you enjoy Techlore Talks consider joining our Patreon so we can keep improving! https://patreon.com/techlore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for an exclusive interview with Vishnu Mohandas, the visionary founder of Ente, a revolutionary photo app that prioritizes privacy. In this insightful conversation, we delve into the challenges and triumphs of building a privacy-first photo app, exploring topics like the birth of Ente, its unique approach to privacy, cutting-edge AI features, and the future of photo storage and sharing.Guest information:Vishnu Mohandas: https://vishnu.tech/Ente: https://ente.io—Timestamps:00:00 Vishnu Intro01:09 Did Google Photos inspire you?03:04 Was privacy a concern for people when you worked at Google?04:14 Did you start Ente by yourself?06:11 What was the moment where you pivoted to a consumer product?08:42 Where Does Ente beat Google Photos?10:22 Does encryption make it harder to make a photos app?12:55 When you’re optimizing the app do you rewrite from scratch?14:53 What are your thoughts on Apple’s AI?16:09 Will self hosted AI be possible with Ente?17:01 Is it easy to move from Ente from Google Photos?19:25 Does Ente plan to do tighter OS integrations in the future?20:47 Discussion around Telegram and EU DMA rulings26:27 What cryptography does Ente use?28:01 Who is the core audience for Ente?30:02 Is Ente VC funded?33:04 What are the benefits of Ente of iCloud with ADP?36:08 What packages does Ente come in on Linux?37:07 Why did you create Ente Auth?40:25 What is Ente Legacy?43:50 What products aren’t you going to do at Ente?45:32 Are there any plans for new products?48:15 Final words from Vishnu49:44 Where to find Vishnu and Ente—If you enjoy Techlore Talks consider joining our Patreon so we can keep improving! https://patreon.com/techlore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Owning (or renting!) privately is a challenge, and Jonathan Steele is a lawyer who will break it down for us. Is renting more private than owning a home? How do celebrities do it? From Trusts, LLCs, Nominee agreements, plausible deniability, the legality of privacy tools, and so much more to help non-legal experts understand the complex world of privacy in the legal system. Jonathan Steele is a practicing lawyer who answers many questions for us!Steele Fortress: https://steelefortress.com/His personal site: https://www.steelefamlaw.com/—Timestamps:00:00 Teaser00:26 About Jonathan Steele and his privacy journey03:34 What privacy advice is legally questionable?09:34 What defines a 'residential address'?11:00 What's the legal issue if you aren't breaking laws?12:20 Are there any illegal privacy tools?13:22 Plausible deniability explained16:50 Options to purchase a home privately!20:52 Privacy implications of renting vs owning?21:46 Nominee Agreements Explained24:06 Land Trusts Explained29:40 LLCs Explained31:42 LLCs vs Trusts for Privacy35:38 An LLC that owns a trust? Why or why not?36:56 Privacy implications of a mortgage?39:46 Steps to purchasing your home privately!41:24 Can you make your current home more private?42:38 Mortgage vs Cash for privacy43:54 Who shouldn't make their home private?45:02 Is keeping your home private even realistic?47:44 How do the rich, famous & celebrities stay private?52:20 Why are court records public?54:06 Final summaries, Steele Fortress, and more!—If you enjoy Techlore Talks consider joining our Patreon so we can keep improving! https://patreon.com/techlore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcoming back for the second time...Abdullah Attah from Notesnook to discuss his open source note-taking solution, how they function behind-the-scenes, upcoming features, long-term sustainability, and more! —Timestamps:00:00:00 Video intro00:01:00 Abdullah and Notesnook introduction00:01:48 What's new for Notesnook since we last spoke?00:03:34 Where is Notesnook based out of? Jurisdiction?00:04:36 Where is user data stored?00:05:22 New Privacy features in Notesnook v300:11:02 New features in Notesnook v300:15:58 What's their target demographic? Still the same?00:21:36 Are they considering AI? Privacy?00:24:22 Challenges of E2EE00:26:36 Have syncing issues been fixed?00:29:04 How has the journey of going open source been?00:32:10 Skiff, Notesnook sustainability & longevity...?00:39:32 Developing web apps vs native clients00:51:44 Notesnook as a text editor? (programming)00:53:14 What the community wants vs Notesnook's vision00:58:56 Integrations and what's next for Notesnook?01:01:18 Closing thoughts and goodbyes!—If you enjoy Techlore Talks consider joining our Patreon so we can keep improving! https://patreon.com/techlore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode #20. New research with evidence that some data removal services are not effective! Let's unpack the research, talk about the results, and what it means for those of you wanting control of their data. We also discuss Proton Wallet, Monero & Mobilecoin delistings, and a lot more!Join our ForumOur Patreon—Timestamps:0:00:00 Introducing Techlore Talks 20!0:00:50 Explaining data removal research0:12:53 Data Removal Services we've used0:18:34 Exploring new solutions for people0:26:18 Some more details on data removal services0:32:02 Proton Wallet updated thoughts0:53:18 Monero & mobilcoin Binance delisting0:58:42 Microsoft Authenticator Overwrites TOTP accounts?1:03:00 MacOS Sequoia Updates 1:07:44 Framework laptops in the wild1:10:56 Using Matrix for internal Techlore workflow1:14:58 Outro—Techlore Talks:Video PlaylistRSS Feed—Techlore Links:HomepageTechlore ForumGo Incognito CourseSupport Techlore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Synology just held their event in Taiwan for 2024 releasing E2EE security cameras without a required subscription, Active Protect for enterprise customers, AI features, and more! Thanks to Synology for flying us out, and thanks you all for watching!YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a05my9OegME—Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:40 Start of interview01:00 Event recap02:20 Prosumer Highlights04:30 AI Requirements05:30 AI De-identification06:50 Backup solutions explained09:06 Why are they migrating to a subscription?10:28 Expansion and upgradeability 11:10 Camera integration with Synology ecosystem11:38 Cloud security & data safety12:56 Camera Cloud Pricing Explained14:26 New Camera Features15:20 Camera software platforms15:50 Why is Synology launching new operating systems?18:12 DSM & Product refreshes and future products20:16 Why beestation?21:56 Beestation reliability22:36 Beestation file suite23:00 Future synology products 23:44 Closing Words—If you enjoy Techlore Talks consider joining our Patreon so we can keep improving! https://patreon.com/techlore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.