Closed Network Privacy Podcast Podcast By Simon Walsh cover art

Closed Network Privacy Podcast

Closed Network Privacy Podcast

By: Simon Walsh
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Privacy and security podcast focused on the everyday person and using simple tools and techniques to become a smaller target for online attacks. Learn to protect yourself using VPNs, DeGoogled phones, VPNs, TOR, end to end encrypted communications, and techniques to help become more private online. Visit the website for more information: https://closednetwork.ioSimon Walsh
Episodes
  • Episode 55 - My issues with Ubuntu - The Architecture of an Identity-Gated Internet

    Episode 55 - My issues with Ubuntu - The Architecture of an Identity-Gated Internet
    Mar 30 2026
    Show Notes -Website / Donations / Support - https://closednetwork.io/support/BTC Lightning Donations - closednetwork@getalby.com / simon@primal.netThank You Patreons & Direct Supporters! - https://www.patreon.com/closednetworkSubscribe Without Patreon - https://closednetwork.io/#/portal/signupMichael Bates - Privacy Bad AssDavid - Privacy Bad AssTK - Privacy Bad AssDavid - Privacy Bad AssTrying - Privacy Bad AssVO - Privacy Bad AssMrMilkMustache - Privacy SupporterHutch - Privacy AdvocateTOP LIGHTNING BOOSTERS !!!! THANK YOU !!!@bon 108k SATS!@wartime - 22,861 SATS@SircussMedia - 48,663 SATS!@sn@x@fireflygo 6,517 SATS !! - 17,567 !!@unkown@anonymousThank You To Our Moderators:Unintelligentseven - Follow on NOSTR primal.net/p/npub15rp9gyw346fmcxgdlgp2y9a2xua9ujdk9nzumflshkwjsc7wepwqnh354dMaddestMax - Follow on NOSTR primal.net/p/npub133yzwsqfgvsuxd4clvkgupshzhjn52v837dlud6gjk4tu2c7grqq3sxavtJoin Our CommunityClosed Network Forum - https://forum.closednetwork.ioJoin Our Matrix Channels!Main - https://matrix.to/#/#closedntwrk:matrix.orgOff Topic - https://matrix.to/#/#closednetworkofftopic:matrix.orgSimpleX Group Chat - https://smp9.simplex.im/g#SRBJK7JhuMWa1jgxfmnOfHz7Bl5KjnKUFL5zy-Jn-j0Join Our Mastodon server!https://closednetwork.socialFollow Simon On The SocialsMastodon - https://closednetwork.social/@simonNOSTR - Public Address - npub186l3994gark0fhknh9zp27q38wv3uy042appcpx93cack5q2n03qte2lu2 - primal.net/simonTwitter / X - @ClosedNtwrkInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/closednetworkpodcast/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@closednetworkEmail - simon@closednetwork.ioTOPICS- Ubuntu, Canonical, and the Slow Erosion of Linux Trust"Your Phone Is Now the Checkpoint"Age Verification, iOS 26.4, and the Architecture of an Identity-Gated InternetLunduke List of operating systems out right rejecting or accepting age Verificationhttps://github.com/BryanLunduke/DoesItAgeVerifyOperating Systems Not Implementing Age VerificationThe developers or publishers of these open source Operating Systems have decided to not implement Age Verification, or are currently restricting access in regions with Age Verification laws. Operating SystemNotes⛔Omarchy LinuxDeveloper statement⛔Devuan LinuxDeveloper statement⛔Slackware LinuxDeveloper statement⛔Vendefoul Wolf LinuxDeveloper statement 1, 2⛔GrapheneOSAndroid-based mobile OS, Developer statement⛔FreeDOSDeveloper statement⛔Artix LinuxDeveloper statement⛔DB48XCalculator firmware, Developer statement⛔Arch Linux 32Developer forbids usage in Brazil, California⛔Ageless LinuxDebian fork created to protest Age Verification⛔Garuda LinuxDeveloper statement⛔Void LinuxDeveloper statement⛔EndeavorOS LinuxDeveloper statementOperating Systems Planning to Implement Age VerificationThe developers or publishers of these Open Source Operating Systems have made plans and/or statements that they intend to comply with new Age Verification laws. But, as yet, that Age Verfication functionality is not fully implemented. Operating SystemNotes🏗️UbuntuPlanning Discussion, Ubuntu VP Statement🏗️Pop!_OSSystem76 Statement opposing, but planning to implement🏗️elementary OSFounder Statement planning to implement🏗️Midnight BSDLicense temporarily forbids usage in Brazil, California, until implementation finished🏗️FedoraPlanning DiscussionOperating Systems Which Have Already Implemented Age VerificationAs of the most recent update to this document, no known Open Source Operating Systems have fully complied with legal Age Verification requirements for Brazil or California.1. Brazil's Digital ECA Went Live March 17 — and Nobody Was ReadyThis week's biggest story. Brazil's mandatory age verification law went live on March 17, 2026, and Proton VPN reported a staggering 250% increase in Brazilian sign-ups between Monday and Tuesday, as users scrambled to avoid submitting biometric scans and identity documents just to access social media. Th Yahoo!e law — the Digital ECA — bans self-declaration as a verification method, and fines run up to 10% of a company's Brazilian revenue or R$50 million (~$9.5M USD) per infraction. It Adafruit gets stranger: the law contains its own internal contradiction — Article 37 says regulations cannot impose "mass, generic, or indiscriminate surveillance mechanisms," but Article 9 bans self-reported age and Article 12 demands "auditable" verification. An Adafruitd it's pulling in Linux distros — Ubuntu Linux landed on Brazil's regulatory watchlist, and Rockstar Games simply pulled its storefront from Brazilian customers entirely rather than absorb the compliance burden. St MysteriumVPNrong standalone episode or a tight follow-up segment.2. Discord: Leaked 70,000 IDs — Then Rolled Out ID Collection to EveryoneA gift of a story for Closed Network. In October 2025, Discord disclosed that hackers breached third-party vendor 5CA and exposed approximately 70,000 government-issued ID images used for age verification. A single ...
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    1 hr and 28 mins
  • Episode 54 - Why The iPhone Is the Most Surveilled Device on the Planet

    Episode 54 - Why The iPhone Is the Most Surveilled Device on the Planet
    Mar 16 2026
    Acess the blog article and podcast - https://closednetwork.io/why-the-iphone-is-the-most-surveilled-device-on-the-planet/Show Notes - https://forum.closednetwork.io/t/episode-54-why-the-iphone-is-the-most-surveilled-device-on-the-planet/179Website / Donations / Support - https://closednetwork.io/support/BTC Lightning Donations - closednetwork@getalby.com / simon@primal.netThank You Patreons & Direct Supporters! - https://www.patreon.com/closednetworkSubscribe Without Patreon - https://closednetwork.io/#/portal/signupMichael Bates - Privacy Bad AssDavid - Privacy Bad AssTK - Privacy Bad AssDavid - Privacy Bad AssVO - Privacy Bad AssMrMilkMustache - Privacy SupporterHutch - Privacy AdvocateTOP LIGHTNING BOOSTERS !!!! THANK YOU !!!@bon 108k SATS!@wartime - 22,861 SATS@SircussMedia - 48,663 SATS!@sn@x@fireflygo 6,517 SATS !! - 17,567 !!@unkown@anonymousThank You To Our Moderators:Unintelligentseven - Follow on NOSTR primal.net/p/npub15rp9gyw346fmcxgdlgp2y9a2xua9ujdk9nzumflshkwjsc7wepwqnh354dMaddestMax - Follow on NOSTR primal.net/p/npub133yzwsqfgvsuxd4clvkgupshzhjn52v837dlud6gjk4tu2c7grqq3sxavtJoin Our CommunityClosed Network Forum - https://forum.closednetwork.ioJoin Our Matrix Channels!Main - https://matrix.to/#/#closedntwrk:matrix.orgOff Topic - https://matrix.to/#/#closednetworkofftopic:matrix.orgSimpleX Group Chat - https://smp9.simplex.im/g#SRBJK7JhuMWa1jgxfmnOfHz7Bl5KjnKUFL5zy-Jn-j0Join Our Mastodon server!https://closednetwork.socialFollow Simon On The SocialsMastodon - https://closednetwork.social/@simonNOSTR - Public Address - npub186l3994gark0fhknh9zp27q38wv3uy042appcpx93cack5q2n03qte2lu2 - primal.net/simonTwitter / X - @ClosedNtwrkInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/closednetworkpodcast/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@closednetworkEmail - simon@closednetwork.ioIntro Clip Credit - Jack Rhysider - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/glpvcVQsChE
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    31 mins
  • Episode 53 - Locked Out: How Governments and Google Are Closing the Open Internet

    Episode 53 - Locked Out: How Governments and Google Are Closing the Open Internet
    Mar 13 2026
    Show Notes - https://forum.closednetwork.io/t/episode-53-locked-out-how-governments-and-google-are-closing-the-open-internet/178Website / Donations / Support - https://closednetwork.ioBTC Lightning Donations - closednetwork@getalby.com / simon@primal.netThank You Patreons! - https://www.patreon.com/closednetworkMichael Bates - Privacy Bad AssDavid - Privacy Bad AssTK - Privacy Bad AssDavid - Privacy Bad AssVO - Privacy Bad AssMrMilkMustache - Privacy SupporterHutch - Privacy AdvocateTOP LIGHTNING BOOSTERS !!!! THANK YOU !!!@bon 108k SATS!@wartime - 22,861 SATS@SircussMedia - 48,663 SATS!@sn@x@fireflygo 6,517 SATS !! - 17,567 !!@unkown@anonymousThank You To Our Moderators:Unintelligentseven - Follow on NOSTR primal.net/p/npub15rp9gyw346fmcxgdlgp2y9a2xua9ujdk9nzumflshkwjsc7wepwqnh354dMaddestMax - Follow on NOSTR primal.net/p/npub133yzwsqfgvsuxd4clvkgupshzhjn52v837dlud6gjk4tu2c7grqq3sxavtJoin Our CommunityClosed Network Forum - https://forum.closednetwork.ioJoin Our Matrix Channels!Main - https://matrix.to/#/#closedntwrk:matrix.orgOff Topic - https://matrix.to/#/#closednetworkofftopic:matrix.orgSimpleX Group Chat - https://smp9.simplex.im/g#SRBJK7JhuMWa1jgxfmnOfHz7Bl5KjnKUFL5zy-Jn-j0Join Our Mastodon server!https://closednetwork.socialFollow Simon On The SocialsMastodon - https://closednetwork.social/@simonNOSTR - Public Address - npub186l3994gark0fhknh9zp27q38wv3uy042appcpx93cack5q2n03qte2lu2 - primal.net/simonTwitter / X - @ClosedNtwrkInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/closednetworkpodcast/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@closednetworkEmail - simon@closednetwork.ioShow NotesIn 2026, two massive shifts are quietly closing the open internet — one driven by governments, one by Google. The first: California, Louisiana, Illinois, Texas, Utah, and countries across the world are passing laws requiring operating systems to collect your age at device setup and broadcast it to every app you install. The second: Google is requiring every Android app developer — even those who never touch the Play Store — to submit government ID, pay a fee, and register with Google, or have their apps blocked from 95% of Android devices worldwide by 2027. Both policies hit the privacy community hardest: the apps most threatened are the open-source tools, anonymous utilities, and F-Droid staples that privacy-conscious users depend on. In this episode, we break down both stories in plain language, connect the dots between them, and walk through practical steps every listener can take — from DeGoogled phones to VPNs to backing up your APKs before the window closes. If you care about who controls your device, this episode is essential listening.Timestamps0:00 — Cold Open: Two Stories, One Threat5:00 — Part 1: OS-Level Age Verification — What It Is10:00 — The US Laws (California, Louisiana, Illinois, Texas, Utah, Colorado)18:00 — The International Wave (Australia, UK, EU, and beyond)23:00 — Why This Matters for Everyone's Privacy28:00 — Part 2: Google Closes Android33:00 — What Developer Verification Actually Requires38:00 — Who Gets Hurt (F-Droid, anonymous devs, privacy tools)46:00 — Who Is Fighting Back52:00 — Connecting the Dots: The Same Story, Two Actors62:00 — What You Can Do Right Now75:00 — Wrap-Up & TakeawaysKey Laws & Legislation ReferencedCalifornia AB 1043 (Digital Age Assurance Act) — Effective January 1, 2027Louisiana HB 570 — Effective July 1, 2026Illinois SB 3977 — Effective January 1, 2027Texas SB 2420 — Mobile-focused age verificationUtah SB 142 — Partially in force, additional provisions through December 2026Colorado SB26-051 — Proposed; effective date January 1, 2028UK Online Safety Act 2023 — In force July 25, 2025Australia Online Safety Act — Social media ban December 2025; search engines June 2026Google Developer Verification Policy — Enforcement begins September 2026; global 2027Organizations & Movements ReferencedKeep Android Open (keepandroidopen.org) — Campaign opposing Google's developer verificationF-Droid (f-droid.org) — Open-source Android app repository; signed the open letterElectronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org) — Digital rights advocacy; fighting both issuesFree Software Foundation (fsf.org) — Open-source advocacy; signed the open letterTor Project (torproject.org) — Anonymity network; signed the open letterProton AG (proton.me) — Privacy-focused email and VPN; signed the open letterNextcloud, Fastmail, Vivaldi, Article 19 — Also among the 37+ open letter signatoriesTools & Platforms MentionedGrapheneOS (grapheneos.org) — Most privacy-hardened Android alternative; AOSP-based; exempt from both policies discussedCalyxOS (calyxos.org) — Privacy-focused Android alternative; AOSP-based; exemptLineageOS (lineageos.org) — Broad device compatibility; AOSP-based; exempt/e/OS (e.foundation) — DeGoogled Android; AOSP-based; exemptF-Droid (f-droid.org) — Open-source app repository; source-code audited appsSignal (signal.org) — ...
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    1 hr and 13 mins
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