GUEST BLOG: Talk Liberation – The Dark Side of AI: A Restricted Internet, Surveillance, Burnout, & Workforce Instability

In this edition:

• AI Startups Glorify 72-Hour Work Weeks At Huge Cost to Employees
• EU Renews Push To Ban Private Messaging
• Home Depot & Lowe’s Secretly Share Data with Police via AI
• Italy Gives Anti-Piracy System Full Censorship Powers Over Internet
• Trump Teams Up With Big Tech for National Health Tracker
• AI Blindness: The Claim AI Helps Productivity May Be False
• UK Government Warns About VPNs While Using Them Daily
• AI Is Exacerbating Shrinking Job Market For New Graduates

AI Startups Glorify 72-Hour Work Weeks At Huge Cost to Employees

As the AI gold rush intensifies, founders defend extreme hustle culture — but at a cost with burnout, innovation and talent retention. The breakneck pace of AI innovation is fueling a brutal work culture in startups, where 70+ hour weeks are becoming the unspoken norm, often referred to a “996” schedule, which describes an unofficial yet widely criticized work practice in China’s tech sector. Employees reportedly work 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week – amounting to 72 grueling hours.

Venture capitalists often openly defend these marathon schedules, arguing that hyper-competitive markets demand extreme sacrifice — with one anonymous CEO bluntly stating, “No one forced you to join.” Employees report sleeping under desks and working through weekends, lured by equity promises and the fear of missing tech’s next big wave. Critics warn this grind/hustle mentality masks deeper issues of exploitation and unsustainable growth.

Behind the alluring facade of billion-dollar valuations, workers describe deteriorating mental health and a culture that equates long hours with loyalty. Some startups even frame exhaustion as a badge of honor, with Slack channels glorifying all-night coding sessions. While Silicon Valley has long romanticized burnout, the AI sector’s fast-paced arms race — where missing a product deadline could mean obsolescence — has taken this ethos to dangerous new extremes.

The trend raises urgent questions about the human cost of AI’s golden era. Can an industry reliant on creative problem-solving truly thrive when its workforce is chronically exhausted? With some engineers already fleeing to established tech firms for better work-life balance, startups may soon face a reckoning to either adapt to retain top talent or risk collapse under the weight of their own unsustainable demands. As one disillusioned developer put it: “We’re building the future, but destroying ourselves in the process.”

EU Renews Push To Ban Private Messaging

The European Union is quietly advancing one of the most sweeping surveillance measures in modern history — a system that could scan every private message you send before it’s even delivered. Leaked documents suggest the EU has re-ignited a contentious proposal pushing for measures that would effectively ban end-to-end encryption, forcing platforms to scan private communications for illegal content. This move, pitched as a way to combat crime, would likely erode privacy, weaken cybersecurity, and create a surveillance framework akin to mass monitoring.

The revived plan appears to be part of broader efforts to regulate online spaces under laws like the Child Sexual Abuse Regulation (CSAR), which mandates proactive content scanning. Privacy advocates warn that these policies could set a dangerous precedent, allowing governments to access personal conversations under the guise of safety. Even internal EU assessments reportedly acknowledge the risks, noting that breaking encryption could expose users to hacking and fraud while failing to stop determined criminals.

Despite backlash, the EU seems determined to advance the proposal, leaving the balance between security and fundamental rights in question. The debate echoes previous clashes over encryption backdoors, with companies like Signal and WhatsApp threatening to leave markets that enforce these rules. As the discussions continue, the outcome could reshape digital privacy not just in Europe but globally, in how the world approaches surveillance and free speech online.

Home Depot & Lowe’s Secretly Share Data with Police via AI

Newly uncovered documents show that Home Depot and Lowe’s have installed hundreds of Flock Safety’s AI-powered license plate readers (ALPRs) across their U.S. parking lots — and are feeding that data into a vast law enforcement surveillance network. According to records obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Johnson County, Texas Sheriff’s Office alone can access Flock cameras at 173 Lowe’s stores nationwide, from Michigan to Indiana, and dozens of Home Depot locations in Texas — some equipped with gunshot-detecting microphones. The findings expose how private retailers are quietly expanding a dragnet that tracks customers’ movements, often without their knowledge.

Flock’s ALPRs scan every passing license plate, logging vehicle movements into a searchable database that law enforcement can tap without a warrant. While Flock claims private businesses restrict data sharing to one-on-one agreements with police, the documents reveal Lowe’s has enabled cross-state access, allowing agencies to pull feeds from stores hundreds of miles away. Home Depot takes surveillance even further, with its locations activating Flock’s “Hotlist Tool,” which alerts police in real time when a flagged vehicle enters their lots. Reports of police using Flock data for immigration enforcement near Home Depot stores have been particularly concerning to many.

Despite the revelations, both companies remain quiet about their partnerships. Home Depot cited “security measures” too sensitive to disclose, ignoring the questions about ICE’s potential backdoor access to Flock data, while Lowe’s didn’t respond at all. The broader trend is that retailers are increasingly outsourcing surveillance to police, creating a public-private surveillance state. With Flock’s network now spanning Fedex, major malls, and big-box stores, the line between corporate security and government overreach is vanishing.

Italy Gives Anti-Piracy System Full Censorship Powers over Internet

Italy’s Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM) has granted Piracy Shield broad new powers, effective August 1, allowing it to swiftly disable access to movies, TV shows, live music performances, and other copyrighted content—often within 30 minutes of a complaint. Initially designed to protect football broadcasts, the system now functions as a real-time, multi-sector censorship tool, heavily influenced by entertainment industry lobbying. The audiovisual federation, Fapav, successfully pushed for the inclusion of cinematic releases and episodic TV, citing massive financial losses from piracy—a move that some warn turns Piracy Shield into a clear instrument for corporate interests.

The system operates by blocking domain names and IP addresses, but its aggressive approach has repeatedly disrupted legitimate services. Past enforcement actions have inadvertently cut off access to Cloudflare, YouTube, and Google Drive, raising alarms about the lack of safeguards against overblocking. With expanded authority, Piracy Shield’s reach extends beyond traditional piracy targets to VPN providers, public DNS services, and even search engines, holding them accountable for facilitating access to restricted content. Privacy tools and alternative browsing methods, often used for legitimate security reasons, may be swept up in the crackdown.

Lawmakers are also advancing legislation that would triple the fine for individuals caught accessing pirated content, with penalties reaching up to €16,000 ($18.5K)–risking criminalizing casual internet users while doing little to address large-scale piracy operations. The European Commission sent a normal warning in June 2025, questioning whether Italy’s system complies with the Digital Services Act (DSA). Brussels has raised concerns about transparency, proportionality, and due process, arguing that automated takedowns within minutes could violate fundamental digital rights, while major tech firms, including Apple and Google (via the Computer & Communications Industry Association), have filed a formal complaint, accusing Italy of violating EU net neutrality principles and overstepping legal boundaries.

Trump Teams Up With Big Tech for National Health Tracker

The Trump administration has announced a new initiative that will allow Americans’ personal health data — including medical records, lab results, and wellness metrics —to be shared across private tech platforms and healthcare systems. Dubbed a “high-tech upgrade” for America’s fragmented healthcare networks, the program has already secured commitments from over 60 major corporations, including Google, Apple, Amazon, UnitedHealth Group, and CVS Health. Initially focusing on diabetes management, weight loss, and AI-driven patient assistance tools, the system which officials say is opt in, promises to replace outdated practices like faxed records with QR codes, apps, and real-time data sharing. But there’s concern that the initiative, spearheaded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), risks exposing sensitive patient information to commercial exploitation and government overreach, specifically leading to unauthorized data use, discriminatory profiling, and weakened medical privacy protections.

Apps like Noom, a weight-loss subscription service, will soon be able to pull medical records to generate AI-driven health recommendations, while also gaining access to competitor data, such as Apple Health metrics. Proponents argue the system will eliminate bureaucratic delays, giving doctors seamless access to patient histories and lifestyle data, like diet and exercise logs. Yet digital rights advocates point to the administration’s troubling track record, including recent revelations that CMS shared Medicare enrollees’ home addresses with deportation officials. With no federal regulations governing health apps, there’s fear that sensitive records—including mental health notes and substance abuse history—could be monetized or misused.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS ) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long advocated for expanded health surveillance, including wearable devices and vaccine studies. The initiative marks a dramatic escalation of the administration’s push to digitize healthcare, following a failed 2018 electronic records proposal. CMS plans to promote approved apps on Medicare.gov, further blurring the line between healthcare and corporate data harvesting, so while the White House touts convenience the lack of safeguards raises alarms. As the program gears up for a 2025 launch, patients face a dire choice: easier access to their health data at the cost of unprecedented exposure.

AI Blindness: The Claim AI Helps Productivity May Be False

A new analysis hints the AI revolution may be built on shaky foundations —over-hyped promises, inflated expectations, and a dangerous dose of self-deception. While tech giants and startups alike tout AI as humanity’s next great leap, there’s some evidence that much of the current frenzy relies on speculative potential rather than tangible results. From Silicon Valley to Wall Street, the fear of missing out has driven reckless investment, with many companies prioritizing buzz over breakthroughs—raising the question if AI is truly transformative, or just the latest bubble waiting to burst?

Behind the glossy demos and billion-dollar valuations, cracks are beginning to show, as even advanced AI systems still struggle with basic reasoning, creativity, and real-world adaptability — flaws often glossed over in the race to market. An IBM survey of 2,000 chief executives, outlined that three out of four AI projects failed to show a return on investment. Further, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon University and Salesforce, AI agents fail to complete the job successfully about 65 to 70 per cent of the time. Not only does AI appear to be inconsistent, but it still cannot reason and in a recent demonstration open AI’s ChatGPT40 model was bested by an 8-bit Atari home model made in 1977.

Meanwhile, the staggering costs of training cutting-edge models have led to unsustainable spending, with some firms burning through cash while promising returns that may never materialize. The stakes couldn’t be higher. If the AI hype cycle collapses, the fallout could dwarf the dot-com crash, taking entire sectors down with it. Yet the true risk may be more subtle, as a world so enamored with AI’s potential neglects real innovation in favor of algorithmic smoke and mirrors.

UK Tech Minister Warns Against VPNs While Using Them Daily

UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has sparked outrage after urging citizens to avoid using VPNs to bypass the country’s controversial digital ID checks—while official records reveal that MPs across party lines, including senior ministers, are billing taxpayers for their own VPN subscriptions. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Kyle framed VPN circumvention as a threat to child safety, insisting, “Verifying your age keeps children safe… Let’s just not try to find a way around.” Yet Politico uncovered that Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds expensed a two-year NordVPN subscription in April 2024, while Labour MP Sarah Champion—who previously pushed for investigations into teen VPN use—also has taxpayer-funded VPN access.

The glaring contradiction has critics accusing the government of “do as we say, not as we do” hypocrisy, especially as VPN downloads surged following the Online Safety Act’s rollout, which mandates intrusive age verification. While Kyle claims the government has “no intention of outlawing VPNs,” officials admit they’re monitoring youth usage and pressuring platforms to block VPN promotion to minors. Cybersecurity experts argue VPNs are essential for privacy and security, not just bypassing restrictions. The real risk may lie in the unregulated age-verification industry, which collects sensitive data without robust safeguards.

As ministers tout VPNs for their own security while demonizing public use, critics see the dangerous precedent of normalizing age checks that could expand into broader speech controls. With the government quietly tracking VPN adoption rates, the message is clear—officials want compliance, even as they exempt themselves. The fallout raises the strong possibility that is not really about protecting kids, but rather policing online access under the guise of safety.

AI Is Exacerbating Shrinking Job Market For New Graduates

College graduates are increasingly coming out of school and facing a threatening reality in the job market, as AI has begun to replace entry level positions. Young graduates who were once in high demand, are being replaced with AI that can allegedly do the same work for less cost to businesses, who then do not need to hire as many entry level positions. In fact, internship positions which many college students and recent graduates relied on for experience, have also disappeared and with them the training that such experiences would provide to build employee knowledge.

For decades, a tacit agreement governed white-collar hiring: companies would offer recent graduates lower pay in exchange for training and experience, creating a pipeline for future leadership–but that contract is collapsing. According to a Burning Glass Institute analysis, fewer than 50% of 2023 graduates landed jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree—a decline seen across all majors, from engineering to visual arts. Even worse, unemployment among recent graduates (6.6%) now outpaces that of high school graduates, as industries like finance, tech, and insurance replace entry roles with AI-driven efficiency, as laid-off junior employees flood the market, competing for 15% fewer entry-level postings.

Companies like Grindr for example are hiring experienced engineers rather than junior coders straight out of college, and equally alarming, the CEO of Columbus-based consulting firm Futurety stated he traded a summer social media intern for ChatGPT. Firms like Amazon, JPMorgan, and Ford openly predict massive white-collar job cuts, with Ford’s CEO forecasting AI could replace half of U.S. knowledge workers. The trend has made clear that less people from the bottom tiers of the market are needed and now students should be encouraged to find jobs that are not made obsolete by the growth of AI and automation.

That concludes this edition of Your Worldwide INTERNET REPORT!

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