If You Aren't Paying, You're the Product

"If you are not paying for it, you are the product. And if it is a political system, the product that they are buying is control over you."

What if a "free" digital currency from the government sounds like a sweet deal - but hides total surveillance and control? Dive into the UAE's CBDC rollout, parallels to sneaky inflation tactics, and real stories of financial repression from Iran, all while exploring how Bitcoin and open-source tools let us fight back. Will we fall for the trap, or build our own freedom?

References from the episode

• Read HRF’s latest Financial Freedom Report #104 (Link: https://hrf.org/latest/hrfs-weekly-financial-freedom-report-104/)
• Subscribe to HRF's Financial Freedom Newsletter today for more on financial liberties repression. (Link: https://mailchi.mp/hrf.org/financial-freedom-newsletter/)
• Dive into Alex Gladstein's book Check Your Financial Privilege, or its (my) audiobook version if you prefer listening. (Link: https://archive.hrf.org/hrfs-alex-gladstein-publishes-new-book/)
• Listen to my Chat with Roy Sheinfeld about Breez, Spark and state chains, a game-changer for Bitcoin tools. (Link: https://fountain.fm/episode/EpG58Rgz9cWjjLckHhD6)
• Catch the year-end special with Matt Hill, Francis Pouilot, and BTC Sessions for more on vibe coding and building in Bitcoin. (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4vBET46jRs)

Check out the original report Weekly Financial Freedom Report #104 by HRF. (Link: https://hrf.org/latest/hrfs-weekly-financial-freedom-report-104/)

Check out our awesome sponsors!

• HRF: The Human Rights Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. Subscribe to HRF's Financial Freedom Newsletter today. (Link: https://mailchi.mp/hrf.org/financial-freedom-newsletter)
• OFF: The Oslo Freedom Forum is a global human rights event by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), uniting voices from activism, journalism, tech, and beyond. Through powerful stories and collaboration, OFF advances freedom and human potential worldwide. Join us next June. (Link: https://oslofreedomforum.com/)
• Pubky: Pubky is building the next web, a decentralized system designed to put control back in your hands. Escape censorship, algorithmic manipulation, and walled gardens by owning your identity and data. Explore the Pubky web and become the algorithm today. Don't forget to find me on my Pubky ID here: pk:5d7thwzkxx5mz6gk1f19wfyykr6nrwzaxri3io7ahejg1z74qngo. (Link: https://pubky.org)
• Chroma: Chroma is dedicated to advancing human performance and well-being through cutting-edge light therapy devices and performance eyewear. Their mission is to enhance physical and mental health, unlocking peak human health, cognitive function, and physical performance. Get 10% off your order with the code BITCOINAUDIBLE. (Link: https://getchroma.co/?ref=BitcoinAudible)

Host Links

• ⁠Guy on Nostr ⁠(Link: http://tinyurl.com/2xc96ney)
• ⁠Guy on X ⁠(Link: https://twitter.com/theguyswann)
• Guy on Instagram (Link: https://www.instagram.com/theguyswann)
• Guy on TikTok (Link: https://www.tiktok.com/@theguyswann)
• Guy on YouTube (Link: https://www.youtube.com/@theguyswann)
• ⁠Bitcoin Audible on X⁠ (Link: https://twitter.com/BitcoinAudible)
• The Guy Swann Network Broadcast Room on Keet (Link: https://tinyurl.com/3na6v839)