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How private is your smartphone? What does WhatsApp encryption protect, and how much can the apps we use reveal about our lives?

Omar Al Zabir, who spent five years as an engineering manager on Meta’s High Severity Harm team, joins Muhammad Jalal on The Thinking Muslim to discuss digital surveillance, online privacy and the risks facing children on social media.

Drawing on his experience tackling severe harms on Messenger and Instagram, Omar examines how platforms collect data and design algorithms to keep us scrolling. The conversation explores what this means for Muslim communities and Palestine activists, including how awareness of surveillance can influence what we feel able to say online.

Muhammad and Omar also discuss smartphone security, WhatsApp and Signal, smart TV tracking, and the limits of VPNs. What should we understand before sharing sensitive information with AI chatbots? How are deepfakes changing what we can trust? And what can parents do to help protect their children from online grooming and harmful content?

Omar shares practical suggestions for reducing screen time and explains why he co-founded Kahf, a technology company developing tools for safer internet use.

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Has this discussion changed how you think about your phone or your family’s internet use? Share what stood out to you in the comments.

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Disclaimer:

The views expressed in this video are those of the individual speaker(s) and do not represent the views of the host, producers, platform, or any affiliated organisation. This content is provided for lawful, informational, and analytical purposes only, and should not be taken as professional advice. Viewer discretion is advised.

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