UK VPN Ban, Substack Data Breach & TV App, Rumble Launches Shorts - Indie's Tech Tips LIVE! 02-19-26

Join INN co-founder Indie for another live AMA on the tools and strategies that helped build multiple media brands to 30k+ followers without spending a dime on paid ads. We’re cracking open the toolbox for creators, streamers, and publishers to show you how we do what we do.

This Week’s Articles/Stories/Videos Referenced:

* Prime Minister Keir Starmer looking into banning VPNs in UK? Kit Knightly

* https://off-guardian.org/2026/02/16/starmer-to-add-vpns-to-uks-social-media-ban/

* https://piunikaweb.com/2026/02/16/uk-vpn-age-verification-children-consultation/

* Glenn Greenwald returning to Substack, ending his Rumble Show, System Update. He denied it, but it’s still a big statement about Rumble and Locals Glenn Greenwald

* https://greenwald.substack.com/p/welcome-back-to-substack

* Glenn’s last episode of “System Update”

* https://rumble.com/v75ejo0-system-update-show-999.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp_f

* Glenn also did a livestream with Substack co-founders Chris Best and Hamish McKenzie to reintroduce himself and for maximum splash

* https://substack.com/@cb/note/p-187558663?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=539iu

* Substack introduces Substack TV app for video: On Substack

* https://open.substack.com/pub/on/p/introducing-the-substack-tv-app-now?r=539iu&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer

* Substack had a data breach, 700k affected: Daily Dark Web

* https://dailydarkweb.net/substack-data-breach-leads-to-leak-of-nearly-700000-records/

* My article on the Book Bots - EXCLUSIVE: Are AI Bots Scraping Substack?

* https://www.indiemediatoday.com/p/exclusive-are-ai-bots-scraping-substack-021426-indies-tech-tips?r=539iu

* BlueSky Bots figured out a growth multiplier: Conspirador Norteño Conspirador Norteño

* https://www.conspirator0.com/p/a-strange-set-of-starter-packs?r=539iu

* Jenn Budd wants to leave Substack, but there’s no good alternative. She is mirroring to Ghost and Wordpress was a big fail: Jenn Budd

* https://open.substack.com/pub/jennbudd/p/update-on-borderland-talk-on-substack?r=539iu&utm_medium=ios

* Michael Ginsburg launches service to help people exit Substack for self-hosted Ghost - $500 for complete transfer & setup: Michael Ginsburg

* https://michaelginsburg.thrivecart.com/substack-to-ghost-turnkey-migration/?utm_source=sendfox&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=do-you-have-a-substack-publication-are-not-sure-what-to-do-next

* https://actionabletruth.media

* Rumble launches shorts, publicly announces 97% of paid subscription revenue to creators (but they’re burying the subscribe button), Subscriber-only chat.

* https://x.com/chrispavlovski/status/2019105515197063325?s=20

* My 1st Short Uploaded to Rumble (I created it here in Substack for free):

* https://rumble.com/shorts/v75ovq8?e9s=src_v1_ucp_a_s

* Rumble bragging about their passing 97% of monthly channel subscriber revenue for creators, but as I pointed out in a recent article, they’re now only showing the “Subscribe” button when a channel is live at the bottom of the chat box. Rick Racela

* https://x.com/ric_rac/status/2022460776213008601?s=46&t=l_iy3TIb0ynzeH0gjwLxAA

* EXCLUSIVE: Rumble Burying Channel Subscriptions? Crypto Wallet LIVE! | Indie’s Tech Tips: Indie, Indie Media Today

* https://www.indiemediatoday.com/p/exclusive-rumble-burying-channel-subscriptions-crypto-wallet-live-indies-tech-tips-12242025?utm_source=publication-search

* CEO Chris Pavlovski’s plan for creators to be able survive financially and grow your brand off YouTube, using Rumble’s tools

* https://x.com/chrispavlovski/status/2019116059442426055?s=20

* Rumble recently introduced Subscriber-only Chat for livestreams

* https://x.com/GamingOnRumble/status/2020149497964183719?s=20

* Cloudflare / AWS / YouTube Went Down, Rumble Gloats, seizes the opportunity to make their pitch to creators.

* https://x.com/NewsBlast17/status/2023930104175366627?s=20

* https://x.com/chrispavlovski/status/2023939038994972874?s=20

* Rumble Goes More in on Crypto - Wallet Allows Tether Stablecoin: Bitcoin News

* https://x.com/bitcoinnews/status/2024260557352669398?s=46&t=l_iy3TIb0ynzeH0gjwLxAA

* OpenClaw - is it going to take over the world?

* It’s the most powerful tool I’ve ever used: Alex Finn

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkqe-uRhQJE

* Please DON’T Install OpenClaw - a Warning: Alberta Tech

* https://youtu.be/11sxky4vTcs?si=UVTY1qRES3GMfOxc

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