Share:
Tech roundup: The DOJ bans companies from selling your data
Phishing scams are getting amped up: No more copy and paste. Criminals are using AI to scrape up tons of detail and then write in the style of specific people or companies. Corporate execs and employees are getting emails with info only the sender would know, like just how they sound (paywall link) — yet another reason to wipe your info off the web.*
Jeff needs the money: Amazon added more commercials to Prime Video. All over the internet, people are saying it’s become unbearable to watch. You can pay $2.99 more to cut the ads … but most of us are already paying $139 a year for Prime. Come on.
Only nine hours: A new class-action suit claims Siri activates too easily and Apple shared accidental recordings with advertisers. That explains the “I was just talking about that!” ad moments you’ve had. Expect about $20 per Siri-enabled device. I’ll share the claim link once it’s live. For Apple, the $95 million settlement is just nine hours of profit.
🚨 Check your fridge: Walmart’s Marketside-brand broccoli florets (the 12-ounce bags) are being recalled due to possible listeria contamination. If you’re in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas or Wisconsin, look for lot code BFFG327A6. Return it to get your money back, and wash anything the package came in contact with.
A bunch of dopes: YouTubers the Nelk Boys got 5 million views on a video they shot in Fiji. They found a remote tribe with very little contact with the outside world, taught villagers how to use vapes and then passed out cigarettes. There’s been no apology because I’m sure they aren’t sorry.
I’m on board: In five years, paper boarding passes and airline tickets will be history. Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas says they’ll be replaced by biometrics, like fingerprint scans and facial recognition, along with a phone app. His company, which starts flying this summer, is the first to have digital-only bookings. Other airlines are moving to fully digital boarding passes this year, too.
👸🏽 A game of thrones: Meghan Markle, the former B-grade actress and, by marriage, the Duchess of Sussex, has a new Netflix show that paints her as entitled, out of touch and unoriginal, as you’d expect. This is strange: Princess Kate is a bona fide beekeeper and shared a heartfelt family beach video post-chemo. In her Netflix show, Meghan’s wearing a beekeeper outfit and recently posted a beach video to Instagram. Coincidence? Doubt it. Looks like she stole the recipes she cooks, too. Such a waste.