The Way Forward with Alec Zeck Ep 195: Rise Above Big Tech: Defying The Surveillance State And Spiritual Sabotage with Hakeem Anwar
Oct 13, 2025
Hakeem Anwar, a technologist and founder of Above, delves into the creeping surveillance of Big Tech and its impact on privacy. He reveals chilling secrets about Google’s Sensor Vault and how data is traded without user consent. Hakeem discusses the spiritual repercussions of surveillance and introduces privacy-focused tools that enhance autonomy. Additionally, he explores the exploitation of algorithms, the need for decentralized communications, and the environmental cost of data centers. His insights empower listeners to reclaim their digital sovereignty.
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From Tech Insider To Privacy Founder
- Hakeem described stewarding sensitive health and social data while working in tech and feeling morally compelled to protect it.
- That experience led him to help secure Freedom Cell Network communications and eventually start Above in 2021.
Consent Powers Mass Surveillance
- Most surveillance happens because users consent to centralized, pre-packaged devices that are effectively 'pre-hacked.'
- Opting out of Google/Apple OS and using open-source apps can materially reduce that surveillance.
Ecosystem Agreements Hide Massive Data Flows
- Big apps embed multiple services and subsidiaries so a single agreement covers many data flows.
- Location and historical geolocation databases like Google's SensorVault enable law enforcement geofence warrants.
