Topic: Jacob Applebaum

The hosts turn their focus to Jacob Applebaum and his recent keynote at the Chaos Computer Club in Germany. They express skepticism regarding Applebaum's status as a "hero," noting his residence in Berlin and his ties to various government-funded organizations. The discussion questions the authenticity of his claims and his role in the broader Snowden/Greenwald narrative.

The discussion explores a potential link between sexuality and espionage, noting Jacob Applebaum's past employment at Kink.com. The hosts critique Applebaum's public speaking style, which they describe as "wrist-slittingly depressing" and designed to instill fear. They argue his claims about the NSA having "13 ways" to spy for every 10 known methods are subjective and lack concrete proof.

A Twitter conflict erupts between Jacob Applebaum, Glenn Greenwald, and James Ball regarding the security of the Tor network. The discussion centers on redacted NSA PowerPoints published by The Guardian and whether the network has been compromised by the GCHQ.

Jacob Applebaum, co-founder of the Tor network, accepted a whistleblower award on behalf of Edward Snowden in Berlin. The ceremony featured a speech by Applebaum that emphasized "personal agency" and the ability to stand against corruption. Questions are raised regarding why Applebaum accepted the award instead of filmmaker Laura Poitras, and whether his rhetoric aligns with his past roles as a spokesperson for Julian Assange.

Jacob Applebaum and Laura Poitras have relocated to Berlin, citing the city's historical understanding of surveillance and secret police actions. Applebaum's speech invoked the memory of the Stasi to call for international solidarity with American whistleblowers. The segment criticizes the decision to live abroad while claiming "courage is contagious," suggesting the move is an insult to those remaining in the United States.

The story of how Edward Snowden first contacted Laura Poitras is detailed, noting that Glenn Greenwald initially ignored Snowden because he lacked encryption tools. Poitras worked with Jacob Applebaum to verify Snowden's identity using a series of questions about NSA programs like Stuxnet and the Utah data center. Poitras is criticized for her "styled" public persona and her connections to the surveillance film community.

Jacob Applebaum and filmmaker Laura Poitras are linked to the Edward Snowden leaks and WikiLeaks. The Tor network, often associated with Applebaum, is identified as a project originally developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and DARPA. Poitras, a MacArthur Fellow, is noted for her highly stylized cinematography in the Snowden interview, leading to speculation about the artistic and political coordination of the leaks.