https://privatecitizen.press/ en-gb Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Fabian A. Scheschel A Civil Liberties Podcast Fabian A. Scherschel yes Veteran technology journalist Fabian A. Scherschel covers the most important threats to our personal liberties, privacy rights and freedom of speech. In reporting on these issues, he draws from a decade of experience in reporting on information security topics, mixed with a healthy dose of journalism critique. The show places a particular emphasis on stories and viewpoints that have been ignored in the legacy media. Veteran technology journalist Fabian A. Scherschel covers the most important threats to our personal liberties, privacy rights and freedom of speech. In reporting on these issues, he draws from a decade of experience in reporting on information security topics, mixed with a healthy dose of journalism critique. The show places a particular emphasis on stories and viewpoints that have been ignored in the legacy media. Fabian A. Scherschel producers@fab.industries Fabian A. Scherschel Is the so-called TikTok law a tool to enable the US President to censor apps and websites at will? Yes and no. One thing is certain: This law isn't about TikTok; that's just a smokescreen. 35f9a3a8fa26c77b07ecc8ba73474a2fb381a78579a6f940bd74a079ba4a27f6 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/168/ Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:20:25 +0200 2:02:38 Fabian A. Scherschel Political scientist Brian Klaas looks into why we talk so much about politics, but never actually discuss any actual policy. My critique of his analysis is rather predictable. 24f14a7e5160800b58409beaf1d186fa40118f2dd6b7ed9c8375003ef9e09404 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/167/ Tue, 02 Apr 2024 12:18:59 +0200 1:21:21 Fabian A. Scherschel Revisiting the idiotic decision to ban Donald Trump off Twitter and what it means for the future of democracy that private companies started to influence public discourse like that and got away with it. 8c39afe28924c7707166eb212ce07521fa377c419762084825c7ef5a8136d3f6 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/166/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:29:53 +0100 1:58:25 Fabian A. Scherschel I explain why this show went on an unplanned hiatus and once again vow to get back into the swing of things. 9790129fa64f918b9ef9559c1dd1e8606b1ce3d2ce2f56126cbae9a3f0c7d9d9 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/165/ Sun, 24 Mar 2024 23:20:24 +0100 1:06:10 Fabian A. Scherschel In my annual recap episode, I am looking back at the topics that I've covered this year and forward to the changes that 2024 will bring for the podcast. 167b9dcbc760009ad7884d0130ccdf20ec054015e1f66f5a33b43fbe8c70fbfc https://privatecitizen.press/episode/164/ Wed, 20 Dec 2023 16:28:00 +0100 1:10:47 Fabian A. Scherschel The reporters from the Twitter Files project just won the Dao Prize for excellence in investigative journalism. Could there be a better time to dive back into these stories? 925e96f94b981ac1b51591eedd4e55bdbdc3a8e40ad39cad0b3e8e8363936178 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/163/ Wed, 08 Nov 2023 23:41:19 +0100 1:28:47 Fabian A. Scherschel What do Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, John Cleese, Yanis Varoufakis, Richard Dawkins and Walter Kirn have in common? They are all, despite holding very different political beliefs, very concerned about the future of political discourse in Western democracies. 240fd2d9e7bdc5ca4db99c4f58eca9331b486e7b22d95828019eb0f849aed899 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/162/ Wed, 01 Nov 2023 22:50:18 +0100 1:44:43 Fabian A. Scherschel EU bureaucrats maintain that the Digital Services Act is not a censorship regime, but is meant to save people from misinformation by deleting it from the internet or hiding it from view. Which, in fact, is the very definition of censorship. Welcome to the Cardassian Union. 2490f691f683204dc463e70d88b66b0658fd2e0454e982f8983e20eea198d2d0 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/161/ Sun, 15 Oct 2023 21:39:16 +0200 1:58:01 Fabian A. Scherschel It turns out, that the EU's push to completely abolish digital privacy might not actually be an altruistic move to save children from abuse. Several tech companies, including one headed by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, stand to profit substantially from the decision. Which is why they massively influenced it. cf4c6633e6c1e45e70cdc73cd29739e386328f2739ccafd1e97260b5c2567450 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/160/ Sat, 07 Oct 2023 23:23:19 +0200 2:10:51 Fabian A. Scherschel How following the exodus of Germany's worst YouTuber to TikTok opened a private hell of lolcows for me. To a point where I don't think I understand society as a whole anymore. What is this shit? And where is it all going to end? d60de63ae4974ff5e5a51e9437898f7191f77884a20a8bd9f39f244a0548cd61 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/159/ Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:40:40 +0200 1:21:24 Fabian A. Scherschel The EU wants to establish universal client-side scanning for text messages and photos on citizen's phones. With other words: All cryptography would be useless and hence, nobody would have any privacy in the digital realm anymore. 573d8ad5482279c7ded04b46de098434583ae61fddf03fea46c5f1a63ad85b93 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/158/ Wed, 20 Sep 2023 23:42:31 +0200 1:37:05 Fabian A. Scherschel Germany tried to make its laws against child pornography stricter and it backfired spectacularly. Now, lawyers and judges are desperately trying not to enforce these laws as the government scrambles to fix them. de85a817b6ec9dff127b30e8c5a5ed4423da9310b6d97c2c14268b697565c5be https://privatecitizen.press/episode/157/ Wed, 13 Sep 2023 21:08:24 +0200 1:24:58 Fabian A. Scherschel I'm back in the saddle. Well, at least partially. An explanation of what happened and some new developments in the Modern Solution case from a few years ago. 15c36ab451f03da25e4edf4db90b2763ba7f8320e331edc63210adc6a14f2775 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/156/ Thu, 20 Jul 2023 21:44:58 +0200 1:13:46 Fabian A. Scherschel The podcast returns with more coverage of The Twitter Files. On this episode, I am discussing how the US government used the FBI to exert censorship control over Twitter and many other tech companies to reinforce government narratives and silence critics. d2b05bd04cba6bac897fe9bc139641ee3f10982a2b669def2c4dfb54572091cc https://privatecitizen.press/episode/155/ Thu, 01 Jun 2023 23:46:22 +0200 2:16:20 Fabian A. Scherschel Many people seem to think that the democratic system of government extends beyond how the state is run and into civil society. In this episode, I advance the theory that this has caused a lot of people to fall prey to propaganda and misunderstand how journalistic reporting and scientific enquiry should be done. 62c1f04e8c5371d293bdd6e162e996b27e24d1289e8a5b2ecaadbd11442d8eeb https://privatecitizen.press/episode/154/ Fri, 19 May 2023 23:16:56 +0200 1:32:57 Fabian A. Scherschel The Danes say they have proof that the Russians blew up Nord Stream. But the fact that they want to keep this proof secret makes me think it does not exist and the whole thing is another attempt to distract people from Seymour Hersh's original reporting. 10136cff620b093830cd8ac9416ff53cf487057726c6cbcbe0df81c5651e228f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/153/ Sat, 22 Apr 2023 22:46:32 +0200 0:58:55 Fabian A. Scherschel Instead of working with him to uncover hidden government secrets about the US proxy war in Ukraine, The New York Times and Bellingcat sold out Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira to the authorities. The kid's now facing a lifetime in prison. 754ba0f8414d4dad4d29697dd783f8bfb1fe870b62fbe4dcdba7c0068df95207 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/152/ Thu, 20 Apr 2023 23:45:32 +0200 1:53:22 Fabian A. Scherschel When Substack launched what Musk interpreted as a Twitter competitor, the billionaire tried to force journalist Matt Taibbi to leave the publishing platform behind in favour of Twitter. When Taibbi declined, Musk declared The Twitter Files to be done and dusted. 1d12fda17ed8b7a09c14a71447baef6e0aff4639b500ce0491a77776038b7596 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/151/ Fri, 14 Apr 2023 10:40:04 +0200 1:20:54 Fabian A. Scherschel During the pandemic, Twitter and other social networks censored dissidents and suppressed factually true stories to reinforce government propaganda and the interests of multi-billion-dollar companies with respect to SARS-CoV-2 and vaccines to combat it. cec4bf5e9c081ea2e3d0111403021867c12d7b6080f25923b75636c217cf8300 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/150/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 23:54:41 +0200 1:44:04 Fabian A. Scherschel To cover up Seymour Hersh's report, the CIA planted a fake story about the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage with the press. Chancellor Scholz might even have discussed this cover-up with President Biden in person. e671a45e29dbd1e3b3ce7049e40067993ef6e221f87295779f1eb86b42f3aa4d https://privatecitizen.press/episode/149/ Tue, 28 Mar 2023 23:53:40 +0200 1:21:11 Fabian A. Scherschel Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, US President Biden authorised a plan to blow up the Nord Stream pipelines, which the US military executed last summer under cover of the BALTOPS 22 exercise. eaa36c8c8ce0c27953d3469ba4826f77d326335ad1d8ff23844383446836e21f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/148/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 18:00:14 +0100 1:18:30 Fabian A. Scherschel Horribly broken content moderation practices at LinkedIn make the Microsoft-owned social network actively hostile to scientific progress and press freedom, it seems. 6f3107e229e6ea3ac373b5981712a87681f793f5d867e05b060baefd44a63a7f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/147/ Sat, 11 Mar 2023 23:00:20 +0100 1:34:52 Fabian A. Scherschel Dr Anthony Fauci, for a long time the man in charge of the US response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, has now admitted that vaccines have failed to stop the spread of the disease and were never likely to. 7d04b4c33bc2a0a46faa40c9d67816eed11fc9789bf36e5f4234cf3651873067 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/146/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 20:32:00 +0100 2:04:37 Fabian A. Scherschel Today is not the anniversary of the war in Ukraine. That is just one of the propaganda lies by people who are afraid to stand up for peace and fight against murder and injustice. a196feb3bdf77bf5295ebcc2c2f9d987e4bfbb44d4cbaf88b6d1aa7d42b37603 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/145/ Fri, 24 Feb 2023 22:08:33 +0100 1:00:57 Fabian A. Scherschel For years, corporate media has maintained that Donald Trump was under the influence of Russian agents and that the Russians helped him win the 2016 presidential election. All of these claims turned out to be unsubstantiated. How exactly did the media err on such a monumental scale? 062adff493f026a60f03c5a2da0875ac169d5c1d5d02b722fd8ce6d249aa25f2 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/144/ Wed, 15 Feb 2023 21:04:01 +0100 2:20:44 Fabian A. Scherschel Today, the podcast turns three years old and I tell the story of how I became a journalist and what I learned in the process. 3849f11510d1919051d55a800c886822308a624405085e63efca160d14e6c910 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/143/ Sun, 05 Feb 2023 16:14:13 +0100 1:18:47 Fabian A. Scherschel Some observations on the possible future of society from a recent trip to the United Arab Emirates. 7d78a827e876e88258cbf97825ccb4189fbe735b5f66a42ead618076e9ebba0a https://privatecitizen.press/episode/142/ Fri, 03 Feb 2023 20:21:06 +0100 1:20:47 Fabian A. Scherschel Everyone needs a password manager these days and many people were using LastPass. Unfortunately, LastPass made some pretty horrible mistakes that mean that these people should look for an alternative now. Here's why. 2736f601468c3cc620091cf13f36a7c6fa4b1d7026d708e70478184de841a400 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/141/ Tue, 17 Jan 2023 21:58:34 +0100 1:31:27 Fabian A. Scherschel The Twitter Files show us how cynical the US government tried, and often succeed, to shape how we perceive reality. But they also show those of us that weren't buying the propaganda that they aren't slowly going insane. e1838929d81b4f04663a2124f6bd3471ef1f43cf44005b43469ffb8940bafdf7 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/140/ Wed, 11 Jan 2023 23:54:51 +0100 2:24:27 Fabian A. Scherschel The start of the new year sees some changes to the podcast. This episode provides an outlook of what is coming down the line. 09f2ce0e8fcd3d66bc9d4717a6cb275972ba439b0a46d02f8ea8d151b5758da3 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/139/ Wed, 04 Jan 2023 21:27:28 +0100 1:35:26 Fabian A. Scherschel Looking back at the third year of The Private Citizen and at the topics discussed and issues tackled in 2022. e1338f10a29b5d8e11cef2255bf1a31cff15ab41e81a0f939230ffde07c613ad https://privatecitizen.press/episode/138/ Wed, 28 Dec 2022 08:17:21 +0100 1:16:40 Fabian A. Scherschel Responding to listener feedback on episodes about journalism, Drachenlord, The Twitter Files, the Fediverse, free speech, artificial intelligence and beyond. e213e0bb50cbd3656cc4e2efd6a933cb8666b3e091024353c019a427e96ea82b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/137/ Fri, 23 Dec 2022 08:13:38 +0100 2:09:51 Fabian A. Scherschel The Twitter Files show how the factually accurate Hunter Biden laptop story was suppressed. They also reveal the secret FBI operation targeting social media executives and high-level journalists that led to this suppression. d60c49f329f65722be24a46af5b2673a427d3e08a7bbd3c3127d42ea0b9f0d0d https://privatecitizen.press/episode/136/ Wed, 21 Dec 2022 14:41:40 +0100 1:44:51 Fabian A. Scherschel In a first episode about the Twitter Files disclosures, we look at how Twitter, at the behest of intelligence agencies, catalogued people's speech and selectively silenced some of them. And then lied about it. 4424afeff8aef8b1c7ac6a946365e3d701b1cf451103755b0579662a0ae22597 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/135/ Wed, 14 Dec 2022 22:33:40 +0100 1:37:57 Fabian A. Scherschel In response to listener feedback, we're delving a bit deeper into the topic of machine learning and its impact on society and our political structures. 3ca15c3d7ca5ffeaa288e391404bf59fd5bbb20864fb1cd7d6278d3fa8f80387 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/134/ Fri, 25 Nov 2022 09:00:31 +0100 2:20:29 Fabian A. Scherschel Since Twitter doom and gloom has some people moving to Mastodon, the Fediverse is being discussed even by mainstream media outlets. Is it finally going to take off? Let's discuss some of the problems we are facing here. 31ccc3f69eb335d65ce75a2f2351ee49e4bc12e995887850632f552ca4a04a27 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/133/ Wed, 23 Nov 2022 23:34:14 +0100 1:46:19 Fabian A. Scherschel What happens at Twitter at the moment is only a story because Silicon Valley is finally waking up to the fact that Elon Musk is a horrible and pretty dumb person. And the only reason that Silicon Valley did not know this is because it spent years stupidly convincing itself of the exact opposite. 012a00d4158c44b4b2ef1d5d0f55776383c8a83dbeb159bd08a03534392b36c7 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/132/ Tue, 15 Nov 2022 23:27:59 +0100 2:07:52 Fabian A. Scherschel In a world were computer algorithms decide what is best for us, two groups of people will exist: those who program the algorithms and those who do what the algorithms tell them to do. 5ab81428d0ac6f813eec4869ac3d1ae005bfd6df791b07c37d4974973fa8781b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/131/ Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:38:58 +0100 1:40:07 Fabian A. Scherschel People don't want to save the planet, people are afraid to get inconvenienced and guilt-ridden about their childrens' future. They only care about themselves and it's going to destroy our social welfare societies. George Carlin called it thirty years ago. 17b6fc279c727f35b7a521309e17f2c965a0d89f70d428d123e6067afa55aa9d https://privatecitizen.press/episode/130/ Thu, 03 Nov 2022 22:59:29 +0100 1:42:38 Fabian A. Scherschel Elon Musk, after a long saga of tweets and lawsuits, is about to finalise his deal to buy Twitter. What does that mean for the social network and also the general political landscape? 9b6b79153d0ad113d92fb8de16e5f648e020afcb0492d021aec43f7a7815f29a https://privatecitizen.press/episode/129/ Wed, 26 Oct 2022 23:26:50 +0200 2:16:09 Fabian A. Scherschel Science-fiction writer and critic Theodore Sturgeon not only invented the Vulcan salute and the Prime Directive for Star Trek, he also pioneered a very interesting approach to critical thinking centred around always asking the next question. 98be6d3fe63ff70d67a71608879d401285321c825ed602b91f5494ed6c1e3ea6 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/128/ Wed, 19 Oct 2022 23:38:12 +0200 2:10:13 Fabian A. Scherschel Responding to listener feedback on episodes about Drachenlord, electrical network frequency analysis, Stephanie Sterling vs. the Domina dev, Nord Stream, fear-based journalism and religion. a49616c38ddb59187b70df3bb51ba784bbed791b962105ec8e3a019d4d0c2b5c https://privatecitizen.press/episode/127/ Wed, 12 Oct 2022 23:55:12 +0200 2:03:31 Fabian A. Scherschel Fear is the strongest of all emotions, which means news articles based on fear get the most clicks. Which means out society is going to hell in a handbasket and the idiot journalists are to blame. 90b9c0927fd476e0d3756895ab6a4be928bff6c16b7f14b41cb5e75acd263001 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/126/ Wed, 05 Oct 2022 23:52:03 +0200 1:59:10 Fabian A. Scherschel Someone blew up the Nord Stream pipeline, bringing natural gas from Russia to Europe, via Germany. Was it the Russians? Did the Americans do it? Why? And what will happen now? 98c0fbfc7d6c14f4cc0cd409de8690fb8fc5d0b374d8ceaa5393da85b64f5339 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/125/ Wed, 28 Sep 2022 21:41:33 +0200 1:18:33 Fabian A. Scherschel What happens when you're a game developer and you put stupid political statements in your patch notes? Stephanie Sterling makes a video about it and you get banned off Steam. Surely that's a good thing? 4e2cf0ccd213206d9795edbea2f3b577255368f6fd8cde5dfcd8e6641f726e62 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/124/ Mon, 19 Sep 2022 22:45:59 +0200 1:22:38 Fabian A. Scherschel Can you tell when an audio recording was made, down to the second, just by the electrical background hum? What sounds like a science fiction fantasy is actually real. ee99344338ce669f92115621063124cf0e7503030a7b28acd33f40d89cf3a059 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/123/ Wed, 24 Aug 2022 22:08:01 +0200 1:05:46 Fabian A. Scherschel Permabanned on almost all internet platforms, Rainer Winkler has been effectively silenced off the internet. He's also being investigated for disseminating illegal pornography. Will he give up now? And is his situation actually a free speech issue? bb7caa49b809b2330ee68a9b2bce300263f208a5dbda7cbfa13c6ec0527aae6b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/122/ Wed, 17 Aug 2022 21:43:03 +0200 1:52:45 Fabian A. Scherschel Catching up with some stories I've talked about in earlier episodes: Julian Assange, Drachenlord and the War in Ukraine. 5b193bca70bfc00e84838dd5cbe0a70ddbceb07673a3e6cff452c5bc6b9ccac7 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/121/ Sun, 26 Jun 2022 22:06:01 +0200 1:09:08 Fabian A. Scherschel The EU thinks that some lines of code, probably shoddily written, should take precedence over how the actual driver wants to control their vehicle on the road. It's an idiotic idea and it says a lot about the people passing these laws. af27adf054355815aa77baa7eff913df12704842b6dcf0a0f373c0ce601c0e7d https://privatecitizen.press/episode/120/ Sat, 25 Jun 2022 22:27:37 +0200 1:10:30 Fabian A. Scherschel The media landscape is breeding a generation of citizens that is getting taught to respect the authority of the state above all. No matter what the current issue of the day is, the pandemic, the War in Ukraine or climate change, it all boils down to a very dangerous thing: a citizenry that can't, or won't, think independently. 8741b4b7ac761efb5b595bcff1aa03673a7cadfad9f793ba9b88c0de22b2092f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/119/ Thu, 26 May 2022 14:25:58 +0200 1:41:45 Fabian A. Scherschel Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are a pretty stupid idea. Not only do they legally not guarantee ownership of anything, the very idea they represent is inherently flawed. 5f02ea4c4c6bd9e279cec2b80322ed0a49c8798cf2ed05f76d76f004d6561451 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/118/ Wed, 18 May 2022 21:00:19 +0200 1:12:38 Fabian A. Scherschel Blockchain technology is one of the biggest buzzwords in tech in recent times. But what are blockchains and what do you need them for, really? Spoiler: Not much, actually. 55b2434c8ccbd74278ad87e4c9d0fb4e3d2f60525a5db0a5aa39b8e61786a2fd https://privatecitizen.press/episode/117/ Wed, 11 May 2022 23:02:20 +0200 1:39:22 Fabian A. Scherschel I don't like Elon Musk. But I think him buying Twitter isn't a bad thing. The people who do, however, are either unintentionally wrong or they are actively fighting on the side of censorship and propaganda, like the US intelligence community. dd8e7c332c2ff052c6ffefed0eb9517996af4e5c395c41b6734f8230a4027bff https://privatecitizen.press/episode/116/ Thu, 05 May 2022 23:55:27 +0200 2:00:20 Fabian A. Scherschel What does the Russian war in Ukraine have in common with the Russian invasion of Finland in 1939? What is different? And what can we learn from this about how the current war is going? aa03292104eef331b2dc1ba42e1dab1b58efa9d4870e30c78671aef597599b72 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/115/ Wed, 27 Apr 2022 23:11:11 +0200 1:37:43 Fabian A. Scherschel In response to some input from listeners, I feel it is necessary to explain some things about how I cover the war in Ukraine and how I feel about wars in general. Let's talk about wars, international law and justice. 0d75bea9dd8195d96d0d602bc7be5beb7b32afd49e058e3be0a9e4844023fbc5 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/114/ Tue, 19 Apr 2022 23:55:12 +0200 1:44:40 Fabian A. Scherschel In Germany, telling someone on the internet that you will hurt and injure them if they visit you at home is apparently a valid defence for actually hitting them now. ce353bafe69c9bccd772689d21cea2bbd797f24404a75456bab118268f74e806 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/113/ Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:55:48 +0200 1:49:14 Fabian A. Scherschel What are Putin's war goals in Ukraine? What is the Russian military trying to achieve? And how is it going? dc069155bed70e10a2a81b8797d74a94a60afdd8019831117fb640de73f6c22c https://privatecitizen.press/episode/112/ Wed, 23 Mar 2022 23:45:02 +0100 1:53:36 Fabian A. Scherschel Facebook just made a mockery of the fight against hate speech by admitting that it's okay if you call for the murder of people the political mainstream doesn't like. It's only hate speech if you want to murder the wrong people. What the actual fuck. cd1b6ccf78b2aa28990397f5aef28fc7255c95489bee310ea9a8c127c44fecda https://privatecitizen.press/episode/111/ Thu, 17 Mar 2022 20:43:21 +0100 1:59:51 Fabian A. Scherschel German YouTuber Drachenlord has sold his infamous Drachenschanze and is travelling in a pickup truck around Germany. Meanwhile, well-meaning people, who have no idea what's actually going on, think he's being bullied. 64b35aeb895aea1acc85c9496abf9e1db15fb5ccde6ab09833f1d15e9ba6b400 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/110/ Sat, 12 Mar 2022 21:06:48 +0100 1:49:17 Fabian A. Scherschel The war in Ukraine has been raging for eight years, largely ignored by the West. It is not new. Neither are the policy blunders by NATO and the EU that have led to the current full-scale invasion. Putin is to blame for the war, but the West has created the situation that enabled Putin to wage it. f5d84b5dfeea4ae03fdb75306de7d47edfb0f071839972c5b8cfa41d58517fd2 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/109/ Thu, 03 Mar 2022 23:44:48 +0100 2:23:56 Fabian A. Scherschel Log4Shell, a vulnerability in the Java application logging framework Log4J has been called the worst security vulnerability ever. Is that just the usual hype, though? Or why haven't we seen the forecast large scale exploitation of this bug? Is there something more sinister at play here? a330bff8136db4c13603dd789dd962d59c9ad4fb49063ad64148d816103d8b10 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/108/ Mon, 31 Jan 2022 22:31:23 +0100 1:22:39 Fabian A. Scherschel Neil Young has had his record label pull his music from Spotify because he doesn't like that Joe Rogan interviews people who have a different opinion than Neil Young. The story of a counterculture rebel turned censorship advocate. d5ee3efa3a01ed9f1f593a2e33f0c8adb460ed47a88891bdc05b7dd35dbf9d21 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/107/ Sun, 30 Jan 2022 22:05:55 +0100 1:32:02 Fabian A. Scherschel Taking stock of the civil liberty and privacy nightmare we have built for ourselves in the pandemic and explaining why I don't think reporting on it accomplishes much at this point. e774eb7e4178280b58750e3a4fe86909790555db4df985b9ec7500cc803440e0 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/106/ Wed, 19 Jan 2022 23:45:24 +0100 2:09:39 Fabian A. Scherschel The law is not the same as justice. There can be unjust laws and illegal actions can beget justice. So why is it that many people can't tell the difference between these two concepts? And how can we reconcile them in our society? effe4a9c4873336468f90b295d068e8566f273de3a765d7d966c7919702ee9d5 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/105/ Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:38:36 +0100 1:18:02 Fabian A. Scherschel When who to save in case of a medical emergency becomes a moral, or even worse, a legal decision instead of a medical one, we all lose. This will soon be the reality in Germany, though, as the Constitutional Court has just passed a very unfortunate ruling in this regard. ac9a64444d53502de7c3f9316b58180279bc40f5f75c6dfc7a5fd1f9424697c3 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/104/ Wed, 05 Jan 2022 23:52:35 +0100 1:51:56 Fabian A. Scherschel A look back at the second year of the show, through the lens of the topics covered and the things discussed. 7aaec0f1aec99efe082781db6eef9eb99612b130f2476f0ac26ce42f9175ddbc https://privatecitizen.press/episode/103/ Thu, 30 Dec 2021 12:41:29 +0100 2:46:22 Fabian A. Scherschel The people who ran the so-called bulletproof Cyberbunker in Germany have been sentenced to hefty jail times. But what does the verdict mean for other hosting companies and telecommunications providers in the country? Will they be liable for criminal activity of their clients from now on? 3300112a43a287023c68e8ef155da949e14a760867b3ca8b57d4abe68c584cfe https://privatecitizen.press/episode/102/ Wed, 22 Dec 2021 23:58:36 +0100 2:04:09 Fabian A. Scherschel On this special episode, Mike and myself are having what will probably be the beginning of many conversations on climate change, climate activism and their impacts on our civil rights and other aspects of our lives. 7bb351e08e9e705abf46ad1c1ffcd20ae25d872e6a018eaa4f88e80b6947a5b4 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/101/ Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:36:35 +0100 3:01:22 Fabian A. Scherschel For the one-hundredths episode of this show, I'm telling the story of who I am, where I was born and how I was brought up, in the hope that it will help you understand my place in the world and my biases as a basis for further episodes. 06aacbc143de297cccd7dc8d90a9ee134b38a694237f391a7c00b20b9cd59fe7 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/100/ Tue, 14 Dec 2021 23:43:26 +0100 3:31:57 Fabian A. Scherschel Looking at the plans for the new German government, made up out of the Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals, there are some interesting free speech and privacy implications for the future. Not only of Germany, but probably also for much of Europe. 1ba288e8f568fed57197199b49d825d95e189726f58eefd932ceae3a73b672ce https://privatecitizen.press/episode/99/ Tue, 07 Dec 2021 23:25:07 +0100 2:36:18 Fabian A. Scherschel The German Constitutional Court has decided that the strictest pandemic measures were within the remit of the law. The government is already talking about force-vaccinating everyone. I feel stoicism is the only recourse left for freedom-loving citizens of this country now. ed9028d78e7e9e2248f2306c8a7dfd5928a052d25d83a286c623c77338c5677f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/98/ Wed, 01 Dec 2021 23:43:57 +0100 1:39:17 Fabian A. Scherschel What we've been suspecting all along has now been proven correct: Apple's app anti-tracking feature in iOS does precisely nothing to effectively protect your privacy. In fact, it makes things worse. And Apple probably knew this was the case, too. 6e12c696633ead5a3248e523b02fc05133b87b4cd27916e1b9eaceb3f0ceecee https://privatecitizen.press/episode/97/ Wed, 24 Nov 2021 23:43:50 +0100 2:24:16 Fabian A. Scherschel In Germany, the pandemic emergency has now been declared over by a new law. But instead, the government can now just use all the measures, and more, whenever they want. Not even the parliament needs to approve. ec1da7d2d59a07e8e99a80a2b46997a72a085193858bc8f7def4fe382f52ec09 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/96/ Thu, 18 Nov 2021 23:59:54 +0100 1:42:55 Fabian A. Scherschel Looking at the EU's ban of two tattoo pigments as a good example for the silly and anti-scientific legislation the lawmakers in Brussels sometimes fall prey to. The EU desperately needs to fix idiotic behaviour like this if it doesn't want anti-EU voices to sway the public against the European Project as a whole. 554a6dc1657d1486a64a62ae0829f72f998a1a4a66e8d2ff0c8ce9ad385c7ae8 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/95/ Thu, 11 Nov 2021 22:04:58 +0100 1:42:47 Fabian A. Scherschel At what point does a person who is bullied relentlessly become responsible for the situation if they keep encouraging it? That's the question we are trying to fathom when looking at the case of German YouTuber Rainer Winkler aka. Drachenlord. 6014d7e534b8e2a73be8345dae504ddca3f0dfe071a96b9677f2ccf59108c1db https://privatecitizen.press/episode/94/ Wed, 03 Nov 2021 22:55:28 +0100 2:05:51 Fabian A. Scherschel Examining the contemporary forces arrayed against those speaking what they perceive of as the truth, be it Julian Assange or that random dude on Facebook. 884976cb64445870714001d374f296e422539ca54606bbe67983b96c84af9289 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/93/ Wed, 27 Oct 2021 23:47:24 +0200 1:58:43 Fabian A. Scherschel When Whitfield Diffie, Ronald Rivest, Steven M. Bellovin, Peter Neumann, Matt Blaze and Bruce Schneier come together to publish a paper on the security and privacy implications of client-side scanning, we should listen up. b5a465dacc17e75bc8c16cc1b374bb85553a24bc4933509ce574a19a75889ee7 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/92/ Mon, 25 Oct 2021 23:25:32 +0200 1:48:34 Fabian A. Scherschel Modern Solution created a software platform that is so ass-backwards and treats customer data so casually, it's almost criminally negligent. Instead of fessing up to how bad they are as a company, they now want to get a security researcher in jail. 7718b5c5f4b0622963efa1f00eac39a1cc1cd589551dd66ce7bb3ca259c57b74 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/91/ Wed, 20 Oct 2021 23:25:20 +0200 1:44:29 Fabian A. Scherschel What's more in your interest? Stopping Facebook from leeching off the private data of your life to further its monopoly or forcing it to censor your speech? And now take a guess which of the two politicians want to do and journalists are ecstatic about? 2679fea22daf61d80f96ec4a9f3858ee30cb659458e6b8ea0cf52f20b3927882 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/90/ Wed, 13 Oct 2021 23:28:35 +0200 2:00:12 Fabian A. Scherschel How can the hope of a new drug that might help fight COVID-19 get turned into bad news? Bad journalism, that's how. Let's look at how Matt Taibbi breaks it down in his exemplary writing on the topic. d7e343b47c2fae3c43d9fade9803982277bdb6b5258e622a3d44ed64e1801df9 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/89/ Mon, 11 Oct 2021 23:52:38 +0200 1:45:58 Fabian A. Scherschel Will the recent German federal election be followed by time of horrible uncertainty, that is will it be the country's Brexit moment, or is it actually a good thing? This episode discusses the election result and gives a historic explainer of the German parliamentary system. b99440a7132126944c2edd60390533c2ddf854219b9ad3c674aa05f46528c694 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/88/ Wed, 06 Oct 2021 23:44:33 +0200 2:02:46 Fabian A. Scherschel You expect me to believe that the best funded, best trained, best organised and most experienced military in history left military arms behind in a hasty retreat that are worth more than the annual military budget of all but two countries on the globe? Seriously? e0b2c29363b9d2318f388897d8a256011997805429508a6372f6bda6f3cbe512 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/87/ Tue, 14 Sep 2021 10:06:58 +0200 1:35:30 Fabian A. Scherschel A discussion with my friend Mike about the current state of Brexit and what it means for the future of the European Union and the geopolitical situation on the continent and beyond. 51f5d3acb447709fe22205b2922fdf713e0318a5687b85e7c0e3c65a87b0af2b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/86/ Sun, 12 Sep 2021 23:28:40 +0200 3:14:14 Fabian A. Scherschel Again and again, so-called journalists in big media outlets exaggerate or even outright invent stories to scare or outrage the public. The audience just buys it wholesale and never notices when, a day or two later, it all turns out to be complete bullshit. Today's example: Ivermectin. 29a8f0e2736e6d358b2926d74803efaf2c017cb86a6a374ca65a010e3e16a402 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/85/ Wed, 08 Sep 2021 23:58:27 +0200 2:00:50 Fabian A. Scherschel Authentication on the internet is fundamentally broken. Weak passwords, password reuse, data leaks and untrustworthy third parties tracking us while they log us in are the unfortunate reality right now. One man decided to single-handedly fix this mess. e8c254c93c1ccd6b333ecbdcbb0278662ee02a6173d13041aade845795a821d9 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/84/ Wed, 01 Sep 2021 23:22:44 +0200 2:07:43 Fabian A. Scherschel Pegasus isn't new. Anyone in the field has known about NSO Group's spyware and its use against politicians, activists and journalists for half a decade. What's worth discussing, though, is how the topic has been ignored for so long. Both by the press and by iPhone maker Apple. 58e383f8fef901b9776c0bc3757aa99d81d05d488b4ab01b07eb5f6f900494e0 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/83/ Wed, 25 Aug 2021 23:32:30 +0200 2:02:04 Fabian A. Scherschel The people responsible claim nobody could have predicted what happened in Afghanistan this week. But their experts did in fact did predict it, which wasn't exactly hard, and then the people in charge lied about it. The public now desperately needs to understand how governments operate, or it will all happen again. And soon. 61be8c529b4dab98a10e5707684893cb8e33dba3ad5675a9c285ad7322d69d72 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/82/ Wed, 18 Aug 2021 22:37:50 +0200 2:30:05 Fabian A. Scherschel What are the new features Apple is implementing in iOS 15 that have privacy and security people all up in arms? And why none of this should come a surprise to anyone who's actually paid some attention and is thinking for themselves instead of just buying the company propaganda. e25116699cfff8c5320212ba6e047d62744cb4dce0df1562de822f97b15e14cc https://privatecitizen.press/episode/81/ Mon, 09 Aug 2021 23:48:28 +0200 1:43:54 Fabian A. Scherschel The US President says it's likely that hacker attacks will lead to a real war and that is something that scares me a lot. 94c2556af97f79d9a0114f79dd386ab974eff19860f518888d22b48e19c77cde https://privatecitizen.press/episode/80/ Thu, 05 Aug 2021 16:16:39 +0200 1:36:14 Fabian A. Scherschel The certificate infrastructure of the German digital immunity passport, based on an EU-wide system, has been completely undermined by a hack that's so easy to pull off that probably any twelve year old with a computer can accomplish it. 654ceac1f724469c6a9ac6f5a7b37983bf72b67477415ffefa9f376bc25fd7b4 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/79/ Wed, 28 Jul 2021 22:10:09 +0200 1:31:10 Fabian A. Scherschel What happens when our media consumption is so fear-inducing that we let companies regulate our social connections? A culture of digital snitching develops that gives companies knowledge that previously only authoritarian governments possessed. 06118c28b473057f49cc201826743298865f840831cc1c964e00a9a367e37974 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/78/ Wed, 07 Jul 2021 23:01:45 +0200 1:29:35 Fabian A. Scherschel The German police can now hack into computers and phones, without the target having to have committed a crime. Even though a Berlin court has just ruled evidence from similar hacks originating outside of Germany to be inadmissible in criminal proceedings in the country. c7d8cfcb45183396cb696287d3dbccfa7de90e5319e73059c5ca0c874f9a9754 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/77/ Tue, 06 Jul 2021 23:46:11 +0200 1:35:33 Fabian A. Scherschel The German constitution states that censorship does not take place and yet, Germany is one of the most censorship-happy countries when it comes to Western democracies and therefore at the forefront of the brewing culture wars. How can that be? bcd944c949c719c489610998203ffa2f4738d778c1c40e217139574806851c97 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/76/ Wed, 30 Jun 2021 16:33:37 +0200 1:50:00 Fabian A. Scherschel YouTube blocked one of my episodes, insulting my professional reputation and claiming that I was spreading misinformation about SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. They later admitted they were wrong, but refuse to tell me how such an egregious mistake can happen. Let's examine what behaviour like this means for freedom of speech and freedom of the press. ea5c3eba62962a37e92da76ff814570a7e63bb4e86a1f04eb337a84fac48e3ba https://privatecitizen.press/episode/75/ Wed, 23 Jun 2021 22:27:12 +0200 1:45:09 Fabian A. Scherschel Germany has just introduced digital immunity passports as mandated by the EU. How does this system work and what does it mean for civil rights of EU citizens in the future? 78b2f1a03e8d8f81ca474a4f5c5eedcffc3aae9c53a4b33102f1308794a573eb https://privatecitizen.press/episode/74/ Wed, 16 Jun 2021 22:04:05 +0200 1:30:05 Fabian A. Scherschel The EU copyright reform is now in effect in all member countries and with it comes the horrible idea of upload filters. Let's discuss why this is bad for journalism, already very much on its last legs, and free speech in general. 448107aadd139252207ae2e97c4e6b47cadc16ed3d49b9a9ac2d3cb4469982ea https://privatecitizen.press/episode/73/ Mon, 07 Jun 2021 23:55:20 +0200 1:20:21 Fabian A. Scherschel Let's talk about ransomware. Ransomware is not the problem. People being lazy is the problem. ad5b6835ea28201e523c33ce449fbbe36ff6fe7a538808cdba18358ab1318763 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/72/ Thu, 03 Jun 2021 16:16:49 +0200 1:20:50 Fabian A. Scherschel Cloudflare's Zero Trust Browser is a dumb idea if I ever saw one. Here's why. And as a little bonus, we look at the Mighty browser, which is even more insane. 5ba43551522b70105df8e183c6922c66fc451174ef762a2ce194f892d0c7ba3f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/71/ Thu, 27 May 2021 23:50:36 +0200 1:47:53 Fabian A. Scherschel The German government wants to put trojans on its citizens' phones and other devices to crack end-to-end encrypted communications. And it wants to do it with as little due process as possible. Welcome to another battle in the Crypto Wars! 5f2e5a7171087f8e583c4b58ba83699e9ca86524da9a4b4c1e40a8a71badeaf9 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/70/ Wed, 19 May 2021 21:53:12 +0200 1:48:48 Fabian A. Scherschel The Gemini protocol, a text-only alternative to normal websites, might be the perfect off-the-grid publishing platform. At the very least, it's damn cool. In an old-school, indieweb kind of way. 660589cd4eeb9d9af7cdd19d57050f2c28f5b20e5c0bce42dcff7e785d99bf43 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/69/ Wed, 12 May 2021 23:05:22 +0200 1:26:01 Fabian A. Scherschel If we start to outlaw fake news, wo will decide what is fake and what is the truth? Do we trust the state? Should journalists do it? And what are we actually afraid of here? ecd3833c4f35f7e4299486d737b91e1c69a7741ff6e7f9444f7871c8182fa54b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/68/ Wed, 05 May 2021 23:49:01 +0200 2:36:04 Fabian A. Scherschel Here in Germany, we are plunging the country into an Orwellian nightmare which now, for the first time in the history of the country, also includes actual curfews. Meanwhile, the government's next anti-COVID-app is a complete failure on pretty much all levels. 87887bb00ad8a87ca3876e23760e734a28666f2bb06f713daa14d7bde176fe42 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/67/ Tue, 27 Apr 2021 19:51:32 +0200 2:10:27 Fabian A. Scherschel Third-party cookies are on the way out and Google says it has found a privacy preserving way of replacing them, using a technology called Federated Learning of Cohorts. Is such a thing even possible? And what are the potential problems we, as web users, are facing here? eb01b028f977c61dd26c120a4bcc7a59e5aaf3b81a8bcb6bc0ce077e45b99b38 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/66/ Wed, 21 Apr 2021 23:24:08 +0200 1:49:03 Fabian A. Scherschel In this episode, Ubiquiti explains to us how to not run a company these days: Put things in the cloud needlessly, fuck up on security not once, but twice, and then mislead your customers about it. 4b619d29080de9c890d6a06ee91745dcc7620a59e7c5343722b6534b131967f6 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/65/ Wed, 14 Apr 2021 21:32:29 +0200 2:08:28 Fabian A. Scherschel Even though science is almost a pseudo-religion to many people these days, a lot of them don't really understand what the word means or how scientists work. And one of the biggest factors in this is that people do not understand a scientist's relationship to facts. 13d41df2bf564bf48d66785179d5a95b31e102deeb23ac213b80941e22c04ba5 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/64/ Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:03:19 +0200 1:34:41 Fabian A. Scherschel Explaining the scientific method (or: how scientists think) as a basis for further discussions on the podcast. db7c5f987a3084c26361534a270ff9dec9da842359e585f77779cf6f07eaad4a https://privatecitizen.press/episode/63/ Wed, 07 Apr 2021 23:56:59 +0200 1:50:24 Fabian A. Scherschel After talking about a hack that was caused by Microsoft's cloud email service last week, we now look at the next infosec disaster in recent months: How Microsoft stood by as hundreds of thousands of their customers' on-premise Exchange mail servers got breached and totally owned. e84ba08fb738e0315a19360fcf8439babc18bcf8e0d190556f533f0b902ada29 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/62/ Mon, 29 Mar 2021 23:49:10 +0200 2:06:09 Fabian A. Scherschel Analysing the SolarWinds hacker attack, which has been called the largest data breach the world has ever seen. Was it actually that bad? I'm trying to put it in perspective and discuss some aspects that have been neglected by much of the mainstream coverage. a0ec5c45fb509b592951c7577fe91bfd4d078225047940ddcc1ac50623af7dba https://privatecitizen.press/episode/61/ Wed, 24 Mar 2021 22:35:18 +0100 1:41:24 Fabian A. Scherschel What is cyber war? Who engages in it, what consequences does it have? What's the difference to everyday hacker attacks? And does it actually exist? 29ca864b3fbdc87e5c4d40b4bfbbea743c476cce3fe949f721ab9e7559c43665 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/60/ Wed, 17 Mar 2021 23:57:33 +0100 1:58:27 Fabian A. Scherschel How the coronavirus scare leads to irrational fear, which leads to victim blaming. Which then gets institutionalised as discrimination against those who get sick or might get sick. The German government is well on its way with its digital immunity passport, powered by erstwhile Nazi collaborators and blockchain quacks. 6200a6a8a2469e9954e38f7202058a03666c7f7e5003f93c748902175e23a342 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/59/ Wed, 10 Mar 2021 23:05:52 +0100 1:57:14 Fabian A. Scherschel With a Raspberry Pi, a camera and some open source software, anyone can record, recognise and store number plates on mass. What does that mean for the privacy of car owners and passengers now and in the future? 49395a82b8a59ac9f41981390a249aa8ac6dbf2939f84b922cb2dffba0bf5bab https://privatecitizen.press/episode/58/ Wed, 03 Mar 2021 23:50:03 +0100 1:39:49 Fabian A. Scherschel Why does medical data not belong to the patients? What does that do to science and hospital care? Plus: Why Visa cancelled their bid to buy the fintech startup Plaid. 69bb925938f8b63a4cca07b8c48cbb99b66e1a7f4ae152aeac369d8e3e42dc52 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/57/ Wed, 17 Feb 2021 21:41:17 +0100 1:24:02 Fabian A. Scherschel Should you leave WhatsApp because it is sending data to Facebook? And what about Matrix? Does a federated protocol actually have a chance to replace messengers like WhatsApp? 29bbd3fd192704630dbaa1f23d6861da25846d71873cd8f3b5ae24c8e3c9a922 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/56/ Wed, 10 Feb 2021 22:31:54 +0100 1:39:53 Fabian A. Scherschel Today, the podcast turns one year old. To celebrate, I answer AMA-style questions from the show's producers. It's a bit of a change of pace, but at the end of it, you will know your host much better. 6c395b71f958e1d4f9623391a73c6ca5f573a295f62ee5466283b2d882cfc0c9 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/55/ Fri, 05 Feb 2021 16:49:04 +0100 1:49:59 Fabian A. Scherschel How a number of couch investors ruined some Wall Street guys using a mobile app. And why the Wall Street guys really don't care. And what it means for the future. 9203bd7cc185e5ba94d44d43e44ca5b8e3e18e96ac13eed1460e234f5b068717 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/54/ Wed, 03 Feb 2021 23:50:01 +0100 1:55:27 Fabian A. Scherschel It looks like you've had an accident! Every new car sold in the EU has a black box in it that will activate the car's microphone and call emergency services in the event of a crash, supplying them with the car's location. A system that's ripe for explotation as spyware. 3449001c0603c4f29cb5cf321d23818246e5a2ceb2c830a2f28ff1c159c7b9cd https://privatecitizen.press/episode/53/ Wed, 27 Jan 2021 23:31:22 +0100 2:20:04 Fabian A. Scherschel Donald Trump has left the White House and Joe Biden is now President. What does that mean for the future of the US and beyond? I look back at what happened with Trump and forward at the future with my guest Michael Mullan-Jensen. 22d339fde2df57e28a378297a696e802ce08cbd3956fcf904fd5b99c19bcb9cd https://privatecitizen.press/episode/52/ Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:29:08 +0100 3:45:59 Fabian A. Scherschel After an angry mob stormed the US Capitol last week, Twitter and other social media companies embarked on an unprecedented power grab for control of the public's opinion. 58cc91d11740c539e0c98d8316b948ed916a9f7f178a5274870a9226366f68b9 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/51/ Wed, 13 Jan 2021 23:24:37 +0100 1:43:18 Fabian A. Scherschel A look back at the first year of this podcast, the topics covered and how the show changed with them. 15e89c4fc5fcb70f8c62577da13dac8ea13ec628797ea0975deb2fdd5631fc09 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/50/ Wed, 02 Dec 2020 23:17:59 +0100 1:32:44 Fabian A. Scherschel Ever since the Cold War, intelligence services and their sympathisers in Western governments have worked tirelessy to prevent everyday citizens from utilising effective encryption to shield their lives from prying eyes. When the Clipper chip failed, these people switched to influencing legislation to get what they want. And now they are at it again. 2253a474783e9e526f20da24bffe9426fe81a00d0319a2994f8ca8d79d3b1259 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/49/ Wed, 25 Nov 2020 23:12:52 +0100 1:42:47 Fabian A. Scherschel A conversation about how Joe Biden won the election, how Trump lost it, what the media had to do with it and what this means for the future. 635fcc6e189094a575b9e5ee0fad88112aad05d8d9483708796be3ec91a4d5fc https://privatecitizen.press/episode/48/ Wed, 18 Nov 2020 23:45:49 +0100 3:51:13 Fabian A. Scherschel The German Bundestag is about to debate far-reaching legislation that will permanently enshrine coronavirus-related restrictions into law. In this episode, I examine this law's privacy and civil liberty implications. 7ea73e39d9e93eb735118710ee2a83c8826a3090575f2b1ebfb678704e573129 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/47/ Wed, 11 Nov 2020 23:39:14 +0100 2:04:25 Fabian A. Scherschel Police raids across Europe to fight hate speech sound like a good idea. But what does 'hate speech' actually mean? And does fighting it actually help? Or will it endanger your freedom of speech and maybe even your privacy? 64ca78068dc0d244d0bb0025f2ded1c58be0bc3a5cadb86d64e66165376da8aa https://privatecitizen.press/episode/46/ Wed, 04 Nov 2020 21:03:00 +0100 2:28:45 Fabian A. Scherschel In a timely, and very long episode, fellow critical thinker Michael Mullan-Jensen and I discuss the upcoming US Presidential Election, how voters might be manipulated to change its outcome and what it means from a privacy perspective. 4542e4c3543826abcc12d185a447939d0946a2c58bb476bf9f7fc4331f40bc70 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/45/ Fri, 30 Oct 2020 12:30:29 +0100 3:48:15 Fabian A. Scherschel As Germany is heading into another lockdown, our government now wants to search our homes without a warrant and due process. Why? Because they suspect illegal partying is going on. Also: More on the Cyberbunker case. 134d9814532c7c870476434536b6e585823e7aced41c67c922107b488d3c959e https://privatecitizen.press/episode/44/ Wed, 28 Oct 2020 23:32:10 +0100 1:58:33 Fabian A. Scherschel German prosecutors have opened criminal proceedings against the administrators of the bulletproof hoster Cyberbunker, which was raided by police last year. This is a landmark case for all hosting companies in Germany and should be of interest to anyone looking for privacy-oriented online services. a2438fbf1b9abfca3f64b42fde6f00a03d2ec5ab274af35c59ec6997b54d8c3a https://privatecitizen.press/episode/43/ Tue, 20 Oct 2020 23:50:55 +0200 1:55:13 Fabian A. Scherschel A new privacy law is being voted on next month in California. It might change the way internet privacy is dealt with in all of the US, maybe even around the world. Plus: Do Not Track is back. Maybe, this time around, it will actually work. 3cda80d3373ce861a331631bb637c3fd88a27df690815e350149745801f34891 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/42/ Wed, 14 Oct 2020 23:21:47 +0200 2:17:00 Fabian A. Scherschel The release of the UK's contact tracing app, a major Excel blunder, the current coronavirus situation in Germany and how we are being prepared for the Great Privacy Reset. 7eecab401dcc8060aa5189b3117fc24006142fa40e7c8bc2cc00bcc2778575eb https://privatecitizen.press/episode/41/ Wed, 07 Oct 2020 23:52:46 +0200 1:40:37 Fabian A. Scherschel A discussion on what's going on with privacy laws in the US and in post-Brexit Britain and a look at Amazon's latest push to spy on our living rooms. eee4d336c9f8bffa38743af46dc4ffe38eba1757bac7eee2fe8fff1d61951d06 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/40/ Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:57:29 +0200 1:03:04 Fabian A. Scherschel An update on the Danish intelligence scandal, Google's plans to learn all about the things you get up to in hotel rooms and how to find out if your favourite podcast is tracking your listening habits. a21f8e3dcc54d94c2f523de3123c4f574f3becd012c6ba6931525fe361b25a11 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/39/ Sun, 13 Sep 2020 20:24:35 +0200 0:57:21 Fabian A. Scherschel Immunity passports are a very old idea. And they have many problems, not all of them directly privacy-related. What are these problems and why are they, if anything, made worse by digital technology? 1fe19c94fbefdc86b37a173ec48eb768475a458c96077b11fe7adb2b19236dcc https://privatecitizen.press/episode/38/ Sat, 05 Sep 2020 17:44:18 +0200 1:06:47 Fabian A. Scherschel In Germany, a large cloud service provider for restaurants was revealed to be horribly unsecure, possibly leaking tens of thousands of addresses, collected for mandatory coronavirus contact tracing, to the public. adc7835d599b345a859627a64ff77c286dde600e821eab20258e9701ff9a271b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/37/ Wed, 02 Sep 2020 22:10:33 +0200 1:27:02 Fabian A. Scherschel A recent scandal involving the military intelligence service in Denmark once again clearly demonstrates how important whistleblowers are to the general public. baf1cf4ec2a5f7daa912b63f2d1f9f1a4b2f6f035ff7d8a91f11fd7da5ae7206 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/36/ Wed, 26 Aug 2020 21:08:46 +0200 1:19:02 Fabian A. Scherschel Current research suggests that my initial hunch was correct: Measuring distances between phones via Bluetooth signals doesn't work well. If at all. af452033d29c1ddd72932fcefd3f855152754954f9c7443e82a92928f3db888e https://privatecitizen.press/episode/35/ Wed, 12 Aug 2020 22:43:36 +0200 1:39:50 Fabian A. Scherschel By explaining what socialism means in its historical context, I aim to give listeners a better understanding of what the alternatives to capitalism are. Which is important for further discussions of the surveillance economy. 254ee2f5f26ce6d3b3401945b3d8897ff2752e2a7e13ea8353dced8a7b316c87 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/34/ Sat, 08 Aug 2020 12:40:51 +0200 1:20:28 Fabian A. Scherschel The European Court of Justice has declared that the current measures for the exchange of private data between the EU and the US do not satisfy the data protection rights of EU citizens and are therefore illegal. 93f011dc8155b4ab2423300eeab6726946a061f4c4ed56fcdfae937e5c0e535a https://privatecitizen.press/episode/33/ Wed, 05 Aug 2020 18:51:15 +0200 1:45:44 Fabian A. Scherschel The story of how police cracked the encryption of the EncroChat phone is not only important to criminals who used these devices, but also an interesting case study of how such systems are attacked in practice. a68080191c9f1871ecab00956a2d34c5171768effa1ecb39b1bd5be195c24d5b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/32/ Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:34:28 +0200 1:33:26 Fabian A. Scherschel German fintech darling Wirecard has collapsed among allegations of fraud, money laundering and very underhanded practices. But the things coming to light about the company and its executive Jan Marsalek now are even more egregious than anything we had heard so far. 66733ad292bbdd477ef2bf96af234e18dc571346fc6beb333432482010a6396f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/31/ Thu, 23 Jul 2020 23:35:44 +0200 1:41:32 Fabian A. Scherschel The EARN IT Act is on its way to become law in the US and might make it impossible for service providers to keep effective end-to-end encryption in place for their products. And with that, it seems the Crypto Wars are back in full swing. e18d81278d674dd1b1d5608712bb13ac1bed3b1ee69edcc7c442ff1c36baa06e https://privatecitizen.press/episode/30/ Wed, 15 Jul 2020 23:00:54 +0200 1:38:10 Fabian A. Scherschel German police has started using coronavirus tracing lists from restaurants for criminal investigations. A look at the limits of the GDPR and other data protection regulations in the face of what everyone alleges is an overriding health crisis. 64658c34cd709de144966519e2a10ae8792aa7821c79198f8cf4891e6a763942 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/29/ Fri, 10 Jul 2020 20:30:12 +0200 1:54:05 Fabian A. Scherschel A discussion of the current state of journalism around the world and how it impacts all of our lives with my good friend and fellow critical thinker Michael Mullan-Jensen. ad4397187803870c0b495e7430ca99ba0f4a07e5152aa94482864dd64b56771a https://privatecitizen.press/episode/28/ Tue, 07 Jul 2020 15:01:39 +0200 3:14:12 Fabian A. Scherschel As things are slowly returning to some semblance of normalcy in Germany, this episode of the podcast reflects on how our perception of privacy and of our rights and freedoms has changed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. c074b77b0a5b707979d9400ebb6a7eeac1c07e6a44896df1571a0aab6d9e89ef https://privatecitizen.press/episode/27/ Wed, 01 Jul 2020 21:51:24 +0200 1:47:09 Fabian A. Scherschel German payment processing company Wirecard is currently falling apart under a criminal fraud investigation after 1.9 billion euros went missing. What is lesser known, is that the company, which got its start by processing gambling and porn payments, also apparently ran psychological warfare campaigns to silence whitleblowers. d4f6bdefd9f1ea7cdc8f70ec0742e24bdc086eb35dede1faab1b94f1eae4ba49 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/26/ Wed, 24 Jun 2020 23:43:38 +0200 1:49:32 Fabian A. Scherschel Yesterday, Germany launched its coronavirus tracing app. I discuss how the app was tested and why it was launched so soon after having been finished. 9154a26d39931a346d226a99ad388b97e96e20eb3928085357e6b6252e2b9f2f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/25/ Wed, 17 Jun 2020 15:28:59 +0200 1:12:08 Fabian A. Scherschel How social smartphone apps like Strava, Polar and even Untappd can leak sensitive information about highly secret subjects by logging the runs and rides we take and even the beers we drink. 912d4a5cf2b80e6940afd064c1ece1eaf3385c65c99db730f5c2869217da0e8b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/24/ Wed, 10 Jun 2020 23:53:26 +0200 1:32:50 Fabian A. Scherschel Taking a close look at the source code of Germany's contact tracing app, which was recently published by SAP and associated developers. 25442c720ff038b78018c69950b08f032c0e16161e21cd687be5662a31731a59 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/23/ Fri, 05 Jun 2020 18:21:38 +0200 1:36:57 Fabian A. Scherschel A plea to forgo thinking in categories such as ethnicity or skin colour. We can only reach a just civil society by understanding that we are all in this together. There is no privacy without humanity. 36c2381650b768b2dc1da144151d98ab660a3369491f69eb1a0d6ea3115cc889 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/22/ Wed, 03 Jun 2020 23:13:23 +0200 1:33:58 Fabian A. Scherschel SAP has released the first bits of source code for the German coronavirus tracing app. In the meantime, the public is being distracted to get mad at anything but the actual causes of their problems. 82c73eb4e1c9635e86b8cbb73854a3a6afc167cba606fb01030aefd09772278f https://privatecitizen.press/episode/21/ Wed, 27 May 2020 19:56:39 +0200 2:10:22 Fabian A. Scherschel Almost a quarter of US consumers have given a company access to their bank account that they probably have never heard of. This shadowy company, which is collecting all of this data on financial transactions is called Plaid and they are coming for your bank account next. c9e230bc3c1da3d3e5c5861ecbe01742e9a24a207f9660e0e75af7eaf0e5869d https://privatecitizen.press/episode/20/ Wed, 20 May 2020 12:13:33 +0200 1:27:04 Fabian A. Scherschel Another update on the use of coronavirus tracing apps all around the world and on crazy things happening on the ground in the containment zones of Europe. f7f596c98b20959c0aba08ec859a23166d3e1401525939cca8bf2462f48170d6 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/19/ Wed, 13 May 2020 23:52:27 +0200 2:00:42 Fabian A. Scherschel The fourth biggest smartphone maker in the world, Xiaomi from China, makes very cheap phones with decent features. But it looks like they are selling out your privacy to recoup some of the money you're saving when you buy their phones. 9736742b4ef63a3a59f1ec01b45b7cafc0ca541df932ba80fd6d6205b0386a02 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/18/ Wed, 06 May 2020 21:54:27 +0200 1:17:56 Fabian A. Scherschel An update on tracing apps as well as lockdown reports from Germany and the rest of the world. I also present a case for why the lockdowns might not be working and we look at Amazon emerging as the big winner from this catastrophe. a0e9603345fd3daecf14d1b2c7a30b4121f43b52c8e007fb9137201c7ee823fc https://privatecitizen.press/episode/17/ Wed, 29 Apr 2020 23:50:55 +0200 1:51:28 Fabian A. Scherschel Do these coronavirus contact tracing apps actually do what they are supposed to do? A philosophical discussion with technology writer and thinker Jürgen Geuter, also known on the web as tante. 595873df70da935773f535449ef2584aaff2d5c56a689b1c02542de2184fef06 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/16/ Fri, 24 Apr 2020 12:57:10 +0200 1:28:22 Fabian A. Scherschel Everybody agrees: To end this coronavirus-imposed lockdown we need a contact tracing app. But how do these actually work? And are they really the right solution to the problem? 9b026afba492225efaff511cae1c7ebc2c6610d1e9ee2d64189d3efc0409d2a4 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/15/ Wed, 22 Apr 2020 19:50:59 +0200 2:12:21 Fabian A. Scherschel Let me tell you a story about how the CIA and BND for decades completely backdoored the crypto machines used by many of the world's governments for top secret messages. And not only that, they also made good money doing it! f168fbe722c4e04244414cbf1ee42e89fc236bcba0fb876ebef64b06c751fd6d https://privatecitizen.press/episode/14/ Wed, 15 Apr 2020 21:58:28 +0200 1:55:37 Fabian A. Scherschel A look at the Ring video doorbell, which started as a great idea to protect your home from burglars and which turned, with a little bit of help from Silicon Valley investors and your local police department, into one of the biggest surveillance nightmares of modern day urban life. e5b8e2b29626d9b5a4f0d61ba920a148ae5184b38b30c305ef813178b9f9dca0 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/13/ Wed, 08 Apr 2020 23:18:55 +0200 1:21:24 Fabian A. Scherschel The coronavirus curfew has companies all over the globe scrambling to adapt to telecommuting. A massive beneficiary of this has been the teleconferencing company Zoom. But this company, in the best tradition of many a Silicon Valley startup, has a horrendous track record when it comes to security and privacy. 988585ee8e80d4543c64dc43e97ca048b19f1b8beae2fb4cb9a58239266b2e28 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/12/ Mon, 06 Apr 2020 21:22:22 +0200 1:28:08 Fabian A. Scherschel An update on the coronavirus situation around the globe and the beginnings of a strategy to avoid mandatory tracking. 7bd0ad007b5622648af0428c58e265c8c06f930ef25b1fa663ee4dd89e427d22 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/11/ Wed, 01 Apr 2020 21:37:51 +0200 1:04:39 Fabian A. Scherschel Are the worldwide coronavirus curfew measures a harmful exaggeration or exactly what we need to do right now to save all of us? A discussion with fellow journalist Alexander Spier. b8cf614de7981b62b281e163a3d53d32fc0d28e2b7008af91dc7c79d5a47dec0 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/10/ Sun, 29 Mar 2020 14:22:08 +0200 1:33:28 Fabian A. Scherschel All of us have become part of an economy that is built on completely eradicating our privacy, argues Katrina Gulliver in a landmark article published last year. It started after 9/11 and its getting much worse right now. 42a216dbf6a8f2ccc95d9c16d1c95c3d8e1aff8f85d5760d34af69690ae88484 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/9/ Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:09:22 +0100 1:10:01 Fabian A. Scherschel The Federal Republic of Germany has ordered the first curfew in the history of the country. Meanwhile, around the world, people are now being mandatorily tracked by their mobile phones and are spied on in home office isolation. abdba6321f72879d5664c6f7928f5ddb9dfa1ef48c090021a1b9d8a0a489807b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/8/ Tue, 24 Mar 2020 18:32:51 +0100 1:22:36 Fabian A. Scherschel A look at the legislature that was hastily put in place, and the laws that were amended, to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany. What is happening here from a privacy and civil liberties perspective? 6167052aa87e5e29f0b7672f744e3955202d4a295034b8e7e1c019a312685ab6 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/7/ Wed, 18 Mar 2020 16:06:53 +0100 1:16:45 Fabian A. Scherschel Sent to prison for a crime you didn't commit because the police got location data from Google – this isn't the plot of a novel or a hypothetical scenario. It's happened, multiple times, in the US already. 6f43d478916ca2d5ef6fe004d9313ec493d733d5ddc5da641fd5b365d11d2f89 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/6/ Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:17:55 +0100 0:59:38 Fabian A. Scherschel Google is moving the data of its UK users over to US servers, evidently to remove it from the jurisdiction of the EU's data protection laws. Is this actually the case? And what does that mean, in concrete terms, for Google users in the UK? Does the GDPR still apply? 317bd58a2aaf7d696a07d4d28640589e54973bf7889ce46e59a112b1866b5b41 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/5/ Wed, 04 Mar 2020 19:14:34 +0100 0:55:45 Fabian A. Scherschel TLS, sometimes referred to as HTTPS, is often held up as being very important for privacy reasons. In most cases that is true, but there are exceptions. And blindly arguing for every website to use it without understanding the wider implications also carries its dangers. 4730207293f238f7d58572d11051383cbed1dbe9769ea49d2f6b12783e1500c0 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/4/ Thu, 20 Feb 2020 16:34:36 +0100 1:08:44 Fabian A. Scherschel According to recent reporting, the US government is using aggregated location data from smartphone apps to track people. What does it mean and how do we protect against it? 64cd1ba38e85062e20feeeeae8d0da1adadfba7a77d947e188c121615e6b3017 https://privatecitizen.press/episode/3/ Tue, 18 Feb 2020 18:12:45 +0100 1:04:42 Fabian A. Scherschel In the impeachment trial of Donald Trump, the spectre of election interference in the upcoming 2020 Presidential Election was raised again and again. But everyone continues to ignore the actual underlying threat to democracy in the United States: the dangers of electronic voting. de013fb56b6d04d312b9b1bf2e6703c67f322b28ee3a158b262265a2601d804b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/2/ Wed, 12 Feb 2020 12:19:05 +0100 1:05:35 Fabian A. Scherschel How did an anarcho-transsexual feminist hacker create software that The New York Times proclaimed might end privacy as we know it? And was he indeed the first to have the idea to scrape everyone's photo off social media? 1d5753cacf00cb56d7d85dff3ad9fd8c03c7b3a6625bcf5a1bcb4f42a694fb6b https://privatecitizen.press/episode/1/ Wed, 05 Feb 2020 18:11:05 +0100 1:07:49