Yes, your streaming device is tracking you

Open/download audio

Ever wonder how your Roku, Fire Stick, or Apple TV seem to know who you are? I uncover the secrets of their prying eyes.

Tags: Apple, device, Fire Stick, Roku, streaming, streaming device, tracking


Deepfake warning: 6 signs the video you’re watching isn’t real

Have you seen the crazy deepfakes of “Barbie” star Margot Robbie? There’s one of her scrubbing a floor that looks so real, it’s shocking. 

If that one was new to you, I’m sure you’re familiar with the infamous deepfake Tom Cruise that took the internet by storm. That one was so successful it spawned an entire deepfake company. Or maybe you remember when the Pope was walking around in a hip puffer jacket. Nah, wasn’t him.

Continue reading

The mistake slowing down your connection and killing your phone

It’s a cozy evening, and you just started streaming your favorite show. But, as the plot thickens, your Wi-Fi takes an unexpected hiatus. Annoying, right?

Before you unplug your router, look at your smartphone. The culprit could be apps chowing down on precious bandwidth.

Continue reading

Is Google Bard an atheist?

While coming up with a trivia question for my daily free newsletter (Join 500K and sign up here), I wanted to tap into the nostalgia surrounding the classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas” special. A pivotal scene has Linus reciting a Bible passage, an iconic moment that drives home the show’s heartfelt message.

Continue reading

5 texts you must ignore this holiday season

Scammers draw from a bottomless bag of tricks to get you to hand over your money. They dramatically ramp up their actions when there’s a global event or an upcoming holiday. Not even Veterans Day is safe. Tap or click here for a story that proves criminals have no shame.

Continue reading

Celebrity news? Nah, that’s so fake

There’s fake news, and there’s fake celebrity news. Guess which one is spread the most and does the most damage on social media? You’re so smart. Yup, it’s fake celebrity news.

ExpressVPN’s 2023 Misinformation Index includes a whole lineup of our famous friends who got caught up in a mess of misinformation. Let’s dig into some of the wildest, weirdest stories.

Continue reading

Security warning: Scammers are calling you with holiday tactics

‘Tis the season for eggnog, twinkly lights and a whole lot of scams. Cybercriminals make a killing over the holiday season — just think about how often we pull out our credit cards.

The best way to stay safe is to know their tricks. I’ve got the inside scoop on phone scams tricking people out of money and info right now.

Continue reading

Overwhelmed with spam texts? Do this now

Ever replied to a spam message with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE? If so, you’re setting yourself up for even more annoyance. You rightfully think that you’re ending the noise, but you’ll make it worse.

Why? Spammers are hitting up as many people as possible, searching for working contact information. When you interact, you’re saying, “Yes, this phone number belongs to someone!” That’s great news for them. It lets them know you’re a real person they should target more often.

Continue reading

Blu-rays are back: Why people are building physical media libraries again

Remember when you’d go to Costco and buy DVD movies? Some habits are hard to break and I’m embarrassed to admit I buy a ton of movies on Apple and Amazon. That’s why the news coming out now surprises even the cynical me.

Continue reading

Grandparents are making big money as social media gurus

New word for you: Grandfluencer. That’s grandparent + influencer for all the folks trading in retirement for social media fame. We’re talking millions of followers, thousands of comments … and a lot of money. One paid post can land a particularly big grandfluencer over $150K. 

Continue reading

Confidently conned: 1 in 4 Americans still fall for scams

This number blew me away: Nearly 90% of American adults are confident they can detect and prevent a scam. And yet, 27% say they’ve been a victim at some point. The numbers don’t add up.

That’s why I’m here for you. Let’s dive into some of the most common things that trip up even the tech-savviest among us and kick scammers to the curb.

Continue reading