On The Jimmy Dore Show, Hakeem Anwar — founder of Above Phone and activist for digital independence — discusses how everyday smartphones and laptops feed the exploding AI data center boom that's already consuming massive amounts of U.S. electricity and water. He explains the privacy nightmare of always-on tracking and data harvesting by Big Tech giants, then showcases practical alternatives: de-Googled, open-source privacy-first devices (like hardened GrapheneOS phones and secure Above Book laptops) that let users reclaim control without needing to be tech experts. The conversation frames these tools as a personal rebellion and first step toward reducing dependence on the very companies driving surveillance, resource waste, and centralized power.
