Stupid Sexy Privacy

This week, BJ examines 404 Media's bombshell coverage of Proton's CEO and his alleged AI psychosis—and whether activists can still trust their products. Our book excerpt also covers how to film ICE safely. Given that an ICE agent held a gun to a bystander's head in North Hollywood the day before we recorded this, the timing couldn't be any better for you to hear this.

This week on Privacy Tips, co-author of How to Protect Yourself From Fascists & Weirdos, BJ Mendelson, explains how to figure out what your threat vector is. AKA the big bullseye that'll be on you when you use your voice and want to fight the fascists and weirdos. Also this week we'll talk about the behind the scenes development of the brand new .pdf version of the book that's out, and more. Do people even read these things? If so ... Bah Weep Granah Weet Nini Bon!

What's the difference between a journalist and an influencer? How about someone who's a jerk and someone who's a fascist? In this week's book excerpt, co-author of How to Protect Yourself From Fascists & Weirdos, BJ Mendelson, explains. We also take a moment to talk about Meta (Facebook) being accused of messing with both Indivisible's No Kings event on October 17th and the elections in Brazil.

The problem in our current era is that we've turned spending money into passively clicking and tapping on stuff. Great for the tech companies. Real bad for your wallet. We explain why this week, and BJ is also joined by David Gerard from Pivot to AI to talk about Palmer Lucky's sketchy trip to the West Point Military Academy.

This week on Privacy Tips, Co-author of How to Protect Yourself From Fascists & Weirdos, B.J. Mendelson, finishes up his reading of chapter two, which covers why you should freeze your credit asap, how to spot phishing emails, and a future world where people can use AI to video chat with you and pretend they're a celebrity. We wish we were kidding. All this and more ...

This week on Privacy Tips, Ohio State University professor, Dr. Viet Trinh, joins BJ to talk about Flock Safety cameras, how everyone is basically under surveillance all the time by the police thanks to them, and what we can do about it. No book excerpt this week, we'll be back doing those next Thursday!

This week on Privacy Tips, host BJ Mendelson walks through Chapter 2's essential security checklist from How to Protect Yourself from Fascists and Weirdos — including why a simple sticky note over your laptop camera matters more than you think, yes even in 2026 ten years after we first gave that advice in our original book on privacy, and how LinkedIn is used as a resource by fascists and weirdos to get "dirt" on their enemies. All this and more, including odd duck sounds, are waiting for you to enjoy.

Your phone isn't secure by default—and neither are you. So today, BJ Mendelson walks you through 15 easy privacy moves that separate people who are actually protected from those who think they are. Come take a listen.

This week on Privacy Tips, the authors of "How to Survive Authoritarianism," Dan Storyev and Masha Kuznetsov, discuss with BJ how to recognize and resist authoritarian tactics, including troll factories, misinformation, and political repression, with insights applicable to both Russia and the United States. If you think American democracy is guaranteed to last forever, you're wrong, and this episode will help show you why.

This week on the show, host BJ Mendelson discusses how to properly secure Firefox, why you shouldn't use Google Chrome and Apple's Safari, and what to do about your Internet Service Provider creeping on you. All this and more as we get ready for the launch of our new book, How to Protect Yourself From Fascists & Weirdos next month.

This week, BJ Mendelson speaks with Ian Head from the Center for Constitutional Rights about FOIA, who broke it, and whether or not there's still value in using it (Answer: YES!) This week's book excerpt also covers how to bulletproof your voter registration, and how to protect yourself when crossing the border into, and out of, America. And, of course, we tell you why every single American citizen should go and get themselves a passport card. Like, right now.

Your browser choice matters more than you think. So this week on Privacy Tips, BJ reveals why ditching Chrome, Edge, and Google isn't just about privacy—it's about starving the systems that enable authoritarians and corporate surveillance.

We're back for another edition of Privacy Tips. This week, we read more from How to Protect Yourself From Fascists & Weirdos (BJ's version of the upcoming book) and explain, briefly, what you can use instead of Google's increasingly inferior search results, and why the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Privacy Badger is something to share with your friends and family.

Nearly half of all Americans are politically unaffiliated—and vulnerable. This week, B.J. Mendelson explains why oligarchs are terrified of this silent majority, and what you need to do right now to protect yourself and organize your community. If you're one of the 154 million, this episode is required listening.

In part 2 of our interview with Stevie Glaberson, Director of Research & Advocacy for the Center on Privacy & Technology. Stevie shares with BJ what the Chattery Supreme Court decision leaves unresolved—specifically, whether warrant requirements will actually limit police power in practice. We then talk about the Flock cameras at Woodbury Common—a major tourist hub in Orange County where private security cameras feed footage to local police without clear policies on who else accesses it. Finally, we talk how meaningful change comes through community organizing and state action.

Kim Crawley joins BJ Mendelson in this bonus episode to discuss her new Kickstarter-funded book: A sharp look at what happens after the Gen AI bubble collapses. Kim explains why she believes the damage will ripple through climate systems, mental habits, and everyday life, especially for kids being pushed to rely on AI too early. Along the way, Kim shares how she researches her work, why she archives everything, and what she thinks a healthier web might look like next. You're going to want to listen to this one.

This week, BJ is joined by Stevie Gleiberson, Director of Research and Advocacy at Georgetown Law’s Center on Privacy and Technology. We talk about police use geofence warrants and other location-data tools to track people, how the Supreme Court’s Carpenter and Chatrie decisions shape digital privacy, and why tech companies and data brokers have become central players in modern surveillance. We also talk about ICE’s data collection, the risks for protesters, and practical ways people can think about staying safer.

This week, Dr. Taisha Caldwell Harvey joins BJ to break down the difference between gaslighting, imposter syndrome, and trauma—and why social media keeps getting them wrong. She also shares practical, evidence-based ways to protect your mental health when therapy is out of reach. We're big believers that hurt people hurt people, so listen up. We all need therapy right now.

BJ thinks Crypto is a scam. Rosie disagrees. So this week, BJ interviews Dr. Algernon Austin, a sharp voice on race, money, and the hidden machinery of power. He’s here to break down why crypto, stablecoins, and the GENIUS Act have everyone arguing — and why the real winners may be the rich, the loud, and the well-connected. Not you.

This week, Rosie and Andrew expose the unholy alliance between the wellness industry and fascist influencers, revealing how unregulated product peddlers launder money through fake engagement metrics to amplify dangerous extremists. BJ is then joined by Amy S. Greenberg, author of "A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico" to talk about a little-known moment in American history that informs a lot of today's hype and exaggeration created by fascists involving the border.