20% of crashed cars

Are totaled out. One in five seen by an adjuster is deemed too expensive to fix. That’s five times higher than in the 1980s. Why? Today’s high-tech lighting and sensors, pricey airbags, and fancy materials add up fast.

Tags: airbags, cars, Expensive, fix, lighting, materials, sensors, tech


PayPal using your data to boost its ad business

Well, well, well … What do we have here? Another tech giant selling your data to make a buck? Shocking, I know.

This time, it’s PayPal. Through the new PayPal Ads network, the company plans to tap into customer transactions to supercharge targeted ads. This feels pretty darn gross if you’re using it to run a business, buy things you don’t necessarily want filling up your ad feed, or know that data being sold to who-knows-who for who-knows-why.

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'Does incognito keep me private?'

The good news is it does hide some things. The bad news … It’s not nearly as private as you’d think.

Mom needs to be a mom: Instead of being strong with her 12-year-old son, an Ohio mom is suing the makers of Fortnite and the Madden NFL game series over her son’s gaming addiction. He’s glued to the screen up to 10 hours a day (paywall link), leading to severe emotional distress, a shrinking friend circle and serious anger flare-ups. PSA: Take away the gaming console, put the kid in counseling and grow a set.

Trivia

Khaby Lame has the most-followed account on TikTok. About 62 million folks tune in to watch him poke fun at overly complicated life hacks. How much money did he make from brand deals in 2023? Is it … A.) $8 million, B.) $12 million, C.) $16 million or D.) $20 million?

Find the answer here!

👕 Toxic threads: Millions of clothing items from cheap Chinese retailer Shein are packed with toxic chemicals linked to cancer, autism and infertility. They’re sold on Amazon under different names, too, with some containing over 400 times the safe levels. Check your clothes: Drop a bead of water on the fabric. If it stays beaded up, rolls around and leaves no residue, you have a problem. Return or trash it.

Livin’ the dream: Elon Musk is doubling down on his prediction about AI replacing humans, but this time, his outlook is less gloomy. He says there’s an 80% chance we’ll have universally high incomes, no one will have to work, and there’ll be no shortage of goods and services. What are the odds it’s because he’s the one selling it?

Blessing in disguise: Back in 2013, a guy lost access to his digital crypto wallet filled with 43.6 bitcoin. The file with his 20-character password got corrupted, and it seemed like the money was lost forever. Fast-forward to now: Some very smart hired help cracked the code, and the guy’s now sitting on nearly $3 million. Bet he’s really glad he didn’t sell early.

Everything but your autograph: Ticketmaster was hacked, with cyber thieves snagging 500 million customer details. That includes names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, financial details and full order histories, now up for sale on a sketchy dark web forum for a cool $500,000. Get ready for a spam influx, and be extra cautious of what links you click from an email or text.

🔍 App traps: Over 90 apps with a combined 5.5 million downloads were spotted hiding malware in the Google Play Store. At the top of the list are PDF Reader & File Manager and QR Reader & File Manager, both packing the Anatsa banking Trojan that steals financial info. If you downloaded a compromised app, do a factory reset on your phone ASAP.

Trivia

We talk a ton about self-driving cars, but if you’ve been in an airplane, you’ve already been in a self-driving vehicle! Modern airplanes are computer-controlled for what percentage of the flight? Is it … A.) 10%, B.) 40%, C.) 50% or D.) 95%?

Find the answer here!