Techlore Talks

Techlore
  • 4.9 (9)
  • TECHNOLOGY

Techlore Talks brings you in-depth conversations with the experts at the forefront of privacy, security, and digital rights. Hosted by Henry Fisher, founder of Techlore and long-time digital rights educator, each episode features meaningful discussions with the people building, researching, and advocating for digital freedom. From cybersecurity researchers and privacy tool developers to open-source advocates and digital rights activists—if they're shaping how we protect ourselves online, they're on this show. Topics include: • Privacy tools and technologies • Cybersecurity threats and defenses • Open-source software and development • Surveillance and digital rights • Encryption and data protection • Tech policy and advocacy • Digital sovereignty and freedom Just real conversations with real experts. New episodes released regularly. Subscribe now and join the community fighting for digital freedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. NOV 22

    Why This Security Expert Doesn't Use a Phone (Buskill Interview)

    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/BusKill Timestamps: 00:00:00 INTRO 00:01:43 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 OPTIONS 00:14:16 MACOS & WINDOWS INSTALL OPTIONS 00:14:25 CAN THIS BE DONE ON MOBILE? 00:16:39 REAL-WORLD BUSKILL EXAMPLES 00:18:13 BUSKILL COMMUNITY 00:19:17 BUSKILL + OPEN SOURCE 00:19:44 STL FILES + 3D PRINTING 00:20:38 IS IT GOOD TO CREATE IT YOURSELF? 00:20:50 INTERDICTION 00:21:42 EDWARD SNOWDEN ON INTERDICTION 00:23:24 OTHER ACQUISITION METHODS 00:25:13 NOVACUSTOM PARTNERSHIP 00:26:00 BUSKILL + NICHE LINUX DISTROS 00:26:57 QUBES DOM0 00:28:27 UBUNTU & TAILS 00:30:02 DOES BUSKILL SUPPORT CHROMEBOOKS? 00:31:19 GETTING INVOLVED IN PRIVACY + ADVOCACY 00:33:05 HOW PRIVACY IS VIEWED WORLDWIDE 00:36:55 PERSONAL CHALLENGES WITH PRIVACY 00:39:11 GO-TO PRIVACY & SECURITY TIPS 00:40:11 BUSKILL + SECURITY KEYS? 00:43:06 SECURITY THROUGH OBSCURITY 00:45:25 CLOUD-BASED PASSWORD MANAGERS 00:46:09 LIVING WITHOUT A PHONE 00:51:57 CAN IT GET WORSE? 00:53:18 PROPRIETARY BROADBAND 00:58:49 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.

    1h 3m

  2. NOV 19

    The Email Provider Google Doesn't Want You to Know About (Fastmail Interview)

    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/transparency Timestamps: 0:00:00 INTRO 00:01:36 WHAT DRAWS YOU TO FASTMAIL? 00:03:29 FASTMAIL VALUES & PHILOSOPHY 00:08:49 FASTMAIL TARGET USER 00:12:43 LACK OF NATIVE E2EE 00:16:16 WILL EMAIL EVER BE PRIVATE? 00:18:23 FASTMAIL E2EE OPTIONS 00:23:43 FASTMAIL CLIENT OPTIONS 00:26:18 FASTMAIL INTEGRATIONS 00:29:49 BEING GOOD INTERNET CITIZENS 00:33:13 BAD INTERNET CITIZENS 00:38:26 JMAP & OTHER EMAIL PROTOCOLS 00:48:15 REAL-WORLD BENEFITS OF JMAP 00:53:07 ISSUES WITH GMAIL ON IOS 00:56:06 LACK OF E2EE FOR EMAIL WITH ADP 00:57:29 DOES JMAP MAKE E2EE EASIER? 01:00:43 FASTMAIL + OPEN SOURCE 01:10:48 PROTECTIONS AGAINST BAD ACTORS 01:14:46 PHONE NUMBER REQUIREMENTS 01:22:55 AUSTRALIAN JURISDICTION 01:25:55 THE FASTMAIL TEAM 01:28:45 PRODUCTIVITY-FOCUSED EMAIL CLIENTS 01:34:27 FASTMAIL + IMAP 01:35:49 WHY THE NAME "FASTMAIL"? 01:38:27 IS JMAP WHY FASTMAIL IS SO FAST? 01:42:03 FASTMAIL'S IDEAL AVATAR + FUTURE PLANS 01:46:25 HOW TO FOLLOW RICARDO + FASTMAIL 01:48:03 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.

    1h 49m

  3. NOV 19

    Why Google Chrome Betrays Your Privacy (Firefox CTO Explains)

    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 INTRO 01:24 CTO DAY IN THE LIFE 03:34 STICKING WITH GECKO OVER CHROMIUM 06:33 COMPETING ON PRIVACY 09:06 PRIVACY IN FIREFOX 21:03 INSPIRATION FROM THE TOR PROJECT 22:57 WHAT USERS GAIN FROM FIREFOX 26:56 THE BEST FIREFOX CONFIGURATION 29:59 MANIFEST V2 VS. V3 + AD BLOCKING 30:53 MAINTAINING MANIFEST V2 32:26 UBLOCK ORIGIN BY DEFAULT? 33:46 FIREFOX'S APPROACH TO AI 39:14 GECKO ON IOS? 42:25 FEELINGS ABOUT THE DMA IN EUROPE 43:53 WINDOWS DEFAULT BROWSER BEHAVIOR 44:52 DMA ENGINE CHOICE PROVISIONS 45:13 BEING THE DEFAULT BROWSER ON LINUX 46:52 NEW THREATS TO PRIVACY 50:33 HOW TO FOLLOW BOBBY & FIREFOX 51:47 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.

    53 min

  4. OCT 24

    Dumb Phones & Privacy: Digital Minimalism with Jose Briones

    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-habits Timestamps: 00:00:00 INTRO 00:01:24 DUMBPHONES + PRIVACY & DIGITAL RIGHTS 00:03:56 WHY ARE DUMBPHONES BETTER FOR PRIVACY? 00:05:48 DUMBPHONES VS. MINIMAL SMARTPHONES 00:08:57 ADOPTING THE MINDSET 00:13:41 ADJUSTING FOR ONLINE WORK 00:18:21 HANDLING MISMATCHED EMOTIONS 00:22:40 ARE OFFLINE ACTIVITIES IMPORTANT? 00:26:12 FINDING A BALANCE WITH ONLINE WORK REQUIREMENTS 00:30:16 DIGITAL MINIMALISM + HARDWARE 00:35:21 DEVICES & WHERE TO START 00:39:42 ENCRYPTED COMMUNICATION 00:44:19 WHEN OUR CHOICES IMPACT OTHERS 00:48:33 ARE WE ANTI-TECHNOLOGY? 00:51:36 HENRY'S IDEAL PHONE 00:54:41 CONTENT CREATION & CONSUMPTION 00:57:44 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.

    1 hr

  5. OCT 10

    From Coreboot to Qubes: Secure Hardware Deep Dive with NovaCustom

    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.html Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction & What Nova Custom Does 01:00 Company Origins & The Meaning Behind "Nova Custom" 02:35 Extensive Hardware Customization Options 03:40 Operating System Choices & Linux Focus 04:40 CoreBoot Firmware & Security Features 06:15 Target Audience & Market Positioning 08:45 Security Features vs Other Linux Laptop Makers 10:00 Intel Management Engine: Privacy vs Security 12:00 Supply Chain Security & Anti-Tamper Solutions 15:45 Global Expansion & Shipping Worldwide 16:40 CoreBoot Benefits & Outsourcing Development 19:20 Operating System Installation & No-OS Options 21:45 Repairability & 7-Year Parts Guarantee 23:20 Hardware Business Challenges & Manufacturing 25:40 Future AMD Support & OpenSIL Framework 27:45 ARM vs Intel Performance Comparisons 33:00 Qubes OS Compatibility & Certification 37:00 Review Unit Discussion: 16-inch vs 14-inch 39:20 Desktop Environment Limitations in Qubes 41:45 Custom Hardware Features & Laser Engraving 47:20 BusKill Partnership & Security Accessories 48:20 Future Plans: New Firmware & Product Expansion 51:00 Favorite Privacy Tools & Secure Communication 54:20 Contact Information & Where to Find Nova Custom 57:00 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.

    59 min

  6. AUG 7

    Nextcloud CEO: Why Self-Hosting Beats Big Tech Every Time

    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/@Karlitschek Timestamps: 00:00 INTRODUCTION 00:51 - INTRO TO FRANK 01:08 - LIFE BEFORE NEXTCLOUD 03:15 - ORIGINS OF OWNCLOUD 05:51 - FROM OWNCLOUD TO NEXTCLOUD 08:45 - STATE OF OWNCLOUD 09:20 - STRUCTURE OF NEXTCLOUD 10:23 - OPEN SOURCE + PROFIT? 13:21 - NEXTCLOUD FREE VS. PAID 16:43 - NEXTCLOUD COMPETITORS 18:20 - SELF-HOSTING CHALLENGES 22:54 - THIRD PARTY HOSTING 25:18 - END-TO-END ENCRYPTION 32:24 - NEXTCLOUD HUB 10 35:59 - AI PUSHBACK 42:51 - NEXTCLOUD AI MODELS 44:30 - RECOMMENDED LLM 45:13 - FEATURE DEVELOPMENT PLAN 47:28 - NEXTCLOUD COMMUNITY 50:36 - #1 SELF-HOSTING MISTAKE 51:19 - FAVORITE FOSS PROJECT 52:27 - FAVORITE LINUX DISTRO & DE 53:49 - 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.

    58 min

  7. JUL 24

    IVPN Breaks Industry Silence on Logs, Audits & Affiliate Scams

    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 - Intro 00:01:54 - Viktor's background & journey to IVPN 00:04:47 - IVPN's 15-year history 00:07:33 - VPN company ownership & acquisition attempts 00:11:24 - IVPN's brutally honest blog 00:12:56 - White labeling in the VPN industry 00:15:55 - VPN use cases beyond privacy 00:19:04 - Using a VPN for streaming? 00:20:17 - Compartmentalization techniques 00:21:32 - Normalizing VPN usage 00:22:27 - Privacy vs. streaming compatibility 00:25:32 - Websites blocking VPN users 00:29:04 - VPN technology deep dive 00:30:11 - Are VPN comparison charts useful? 00:34:29 - VPN jurisdiction & the "eyes" debate 00:42:09 - Multi-hop VPN connections 00:44:38 - Threat modeling for VPNs 00:45:30 - Picking a VPN server location 00:48:44 - Transparency reports & warrant canaries 00:52:04 - VPN logging: the uncomfortable truth 00:54:42 - Why VPN audits are "snapshots in time" 00:55:28 - Diskless servers explained 00:57:17 - System transparency project 01:00:09 - Being an open source VPN 01:01:54 - VPN payment methods (cash & Monero) 01:06:09 - Simultaneous device limits 01:09:58 - WireGuard history & privacy issues 01:14:34 - First-party vs. rented servers 01:19:35 - Sponsors & affiliate program problems 01:32:15 - VPN provider relationships behind the scenes 01:35:04 - Acquiring Safing (Portmaster) 01:37:08 - DNS filtering plans 01:38:39 - Firewalls (Safing Portmaster integration) 01:40:50 - Safing SPN network 01:42:05 - IVPN's 2025 roadmap 01:44:33 - 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.

    1h 45m

  8. JUL 16

    The CEO Who Wants to Delete Your Digital Past

    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 interview 01:00 Daniel Saltman Intro 03:35 Common Use-Cases of Data Deletion Services 06:20 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 Jumbo 16:46 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 posts 26:04 Mobile vs Desktop Redact experience 29:48 Why is Redact not open source? 37:17 Data broker removal services & Redact's approach 52:30 Dan's distrust of privacy services 56:35 Redact's subscription model & alternatives? 01:02:26 Daniel's history & background 01:07:08 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.

    1h 11m
See All (50)

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Techlore Talks brings you in-depth conversations with the experts at the forefront of privacy, security, and digital rights. Hosted by Henry Fisher, founder of Techlore and long-time digital rights educator, each episode features meaningful discussions with the people building, researching, and advocating for digital freedom. From cybersecurity researchers and privacy tool developers to open-source advocates and digital rights activists—if they're shaping how we protect ourselves online, they're on this show. Topics include: • Privacy tools and technologies • Cybersecurity threats and defenses • Open-source software and development • Surveillance and digital rights • Encryption and data protection • Tech policy and advocacy • Digital sovereignty and freedom Just real conversations with real experts. New episodes released regularly. Subscribe now and join the community fighting for digital freedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Techlore
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Techlore, Inc.
  • Show Website
    Techlore Talks

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