Tech Friday w/ Dave Hatter - Sponsored by Intrust IT - 4/10/2026

In this episode of Tech Friday, host Brian Thomas welcomes guest Dave Hatter to discuss the growing dangers of surveillance capitalism and data-driven pricing in everyday life. The conversation centers on recent revelations that The Washington Post uses reader data to set dynamic subscription prices based on users' socioeconomic profiles, a practice Hatter calls 'surveillance pricing.' He warns that as companies collect more personal data through apps, IoT devices, and online behavior, they can charge different prices based on perceived wealth, creating a new form of economic inequality. Hatter emphasizes that the real cost of 'free' digital services is personal data, which can be exploited not only for pricing but also for identity theft and scams. The discussion expands to include a major PayPal data breach exposing sensitive information like Social Security numbers, underscoring the risks of digital dependency. Hatter advocates for reducing app usage and embracing privacy-friendly alternatives, citing the Ford recall due to a software flaw that disables critical safety features as a warning sign of the vulnerabilities in 'smart' devices. The episode closes with a call to reevaluate our digital habits and prioritize security over convenience.