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Unbuffered

Technology Without Guardrails - Episode 19 of Unbuffered

Jul 28, 2026 · 1 hr · 10 segments

What do surveillance, A.I., and broadband policy have in common? Chris and Sascha connect the dots. [**★ Support this podcast ★**](https://ilsr.org/donate/ "★ Support this podcast ★")

Speakers: Sascha MeinrathGuestChristopher MitchellHost

Top entities: Ed Elson Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act×31 Pennsylvania×9 Sascha Meinrath×10 Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution×3

Welcome to Unbuffered with Guest Sascha Meinrath0:00 – 0:42

C

Christopher MitchellHost

0:00

Thank you.

C

Christopher MitchellHost

0:16

Well, I got good news for you today.

C

Christopher MitchellHost

0:18

This is another episode of Unbuffered, the podcast with Chris Mitchell from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance coming to you from St. Paul, Minnesota.

C

Christopher MitchellHost

0:28

And today I expect no buffers.

C

Christopher MitchellHost

0:30

We're going to be talking with Sasha Meinrath.

C

Christopher MitchellHost

0:32

Sasha is the Palmer Chair of Telecommunications at Penn State University.

C

Christopher MitchellHost

0:37

He's been on the show a bunch of times and he's the director of X-Lab.

C

Christopher MitchellHost

0:41

Welcome back, Sasha.

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Ed ElsonPerson
99%1 mention
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance ActBook
97%31 mentions
PennsylvaniaAdministrative AreaUS state
96%9 mentions
Sascha MeinrathPersonAmerican activist
94%10 mentions
Fourth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionEntityConstitutional amendment
92%3 mentions
White HouseTourist AttractionOfficial residence in Washington, D.C., United States
90%2 mentions
COINTELPROEventProject
89%5 mentions
sound effectEntity
87%2 mentions
Supreme Court of the United StatesOrganizationCourt
85%1 mention
Martin Luther King Jr.PersonAmerican civil rights activist
83%1 mention
Eastern EuropePlaceRegion in Europe
82%2 mentions
ConstitutionEntity
80%5 mentions
Chris MitchellPersonMusician
78%3 mentions
Artificial intelligenceEntityProfessional field
76%8 mentions
Pennsylvania State UniversityEntityLand-grant university in Centre County, Pennsylvania
75%2 mentions
PrivacyEntity
73%1 mention
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
71%33 mentions
Space Exploration Technologies Corp.CompanyAerospace company
69%4 mentions
ComcastCompanyTelecommunications company
68%6 mentions
AT&TCompanyTelecommunications company
66%3 mentions
EarthPlacePlanet
64%2 mentions
Kash PatelPersonDirector of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States
62%1 mention
Elon MuskPersonBusinessman and former Senior Advisor to the President of the United States
61%4 mentions
Saint PaulCityCity in Minnesota
59%2 mentions
Institute for Local Self-RelianceCompanyNonprofit organization
57%3 mentions
ChinaCountryCountry in East Asia
55%1 mention
WashingtonCityCapital of the United States of America
54%4 mentions
Kingsbury CommitmentEntity
52%2 mentions
MinnesotaAdministrative AreaUS state
50%2 mentions
ClaudeSoftware ApplicationSoftware
48%2 mentions
United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance CourtGovernment OrganizationCourt
46%2 mentions
Edward SnowdenPersonWhistleblower
45%3 mentions
John D. RockefellerPersonAmerican businessman and philanthropist
43%1 mention
The New York TimesPeriodicalNewspaper
41%1 mention
United States Department of Veterans AffairsGovernment OrganizationGovernment department
39%1 mention
World War IIEventWar
38%1 mention
Ku Klux KlanOrganizationSecret society
36%1 mention
National Lawyers GuildOrganizationBar association
34%1 mention
Democratic PartyOrganizationPolitical party
32%3 mentions
AnthropicCompanyArtificial intelligence company
31%1 mention
East GermanyCountryCountry
29%1 mention
United States Department of JusticeGovernment OrganizationGovernment department
27%1 mention
GoogleCompanyTechnology corporation
25%1 mention
Jim Crow lawsEntity
24%1 mention
Republican PartyOrganizationPolitical party
22%2 mentions
Initial public offeringEntity
20%1 mention
BitcoinEntityCryptocurrency
18%1 mention
KimiSoftware ApplicationComputer program
17%1 mention
SwedenCountryCountry in Europe
15%2 mentions
Bell SystemCompanyTelecommunications company
13%2 mentions

Civil LibertiesSociety
Society
PoliticsGovernment
Constitutional RightsLaw > Legal Framework
Opportunity CostEconomics
Legal FrameworkLaw
Surveillance TechnologyTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Data Privacy
SurveillanceGovernment > Politics
Data PrivacyTechnology > Artificial Intelligence
FISAGovernment > Politics > Surveillance > Privacy
PrivacyGovernment > Politics > Surveillance
EthicsTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Data Privacy > Surveillance Technology
Law
Economics
Technology
Government
Artificial IntelligenceTechnology
Civil RightsSociety > Civil Liberties
Historical ContextSociety > Civil Liberties > Civil Rights
COINTELPROSociety > Civil Liberties > Civil Rights > Historical Context
Fourth AmendmentLaw > Legal Framework > Constitutional Rights
FISA CourtLaw > Legal Framework > Constitutional Rights > Fourth Amendment
Broadband AccessEconomics > Opportunity Cost
InfrastructureEconomics > Opportunity Cost > Broadband Access
Public PolicyEconomics > Opportunity Cost > Broadband Access > Infrastructure