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Debbie Reynolds “The Data Diva” talks to Luke Mulks, Vice President of Business Operations at Brave Software and host of the Brave Technologist podcast.

Luke shares his unique journey from working in ad tech to joining Brave Software, where he now champions a privacy-first approach to browsing and online advertising. The conversation explores the profound issues in the ad tech ecosystem, the challenges of data over-collection, and the opportunities for innovation in building user-respecting solutions.

Luke discusses the evolution of ad targeting from domain-specific ads to intrusive audience tracking across the web, underscoring how these methods have fueled surveillance capitalism. He explains how Brave Software takes a fundamentally different approach by respecting user privacy as a default setting while creating viable business models. By leveraging privacy-preserving technologies, Brave has proven that companies can monetize digital ecosystems without compromising user trust.

Debbie and Luke address global privacy controls (GPC) and the broader regulatory landscape, highlighting its limitations and the challenges of relying on companies to act in good faith. Luke emphasizes that privacy solutions must be built into the technology—“an architectural and foundational approach”—rather than depending on users to opt into protections or companies to self-regulate. They also discuss the interplay between privacy and competition, exploring how dominant tech companies leverage monopolistic control over browsers, operating systems, and ad ecosystems to stifle innovation and consumer choice.

The episode cexplores concerns, including cashless societies, financial privacy, and AI-powered content creation. Luke explains the importance of digital tools that preserve the anonymity of cash in a digital environment, warn and warnsst the risks of hyper-centralized financial systems. He also reflects on how AI disrupts privacy, advertising, and content integrity, underscoring the need for better tooling and ethical governance to address emerging challenges.

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