Google’s Bard chatbot is now Gemini: If you want a smarter AI, go for Gemini Advanced. It’s $19.99 a month and you get 2TB of cloud storage and Gmail integration. FYI, most people are fine with the free version. Try it for a few weeks before you hand over your credit card.
How to deal with a cyberstalker
Let me tell you, more and more victims of cyberstalking are reaching out to me for advice using my Ask Kim page. Here’s one note I received recently from P.W. in Oklahoma:
“I’ve been cyberstalked for three years. I recently discovered it was my roommate. I moved out and he launched another attack. He’s on my and my fiance’s phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth — everything. He has stolen financial data, pictures, erased accounts, taken over emails and harassed me through VOIP. … He admitted to sitting outside our house all night. I thought he was spying on me. Now I know he was also gaining access to my Wi-Fi. I can’t do this anymore and need expert advice/help terribly.”
This is truly awful. First, it’s always a good idea to file a police report. This way, you have things on record. Unfortunately, the police won’t come into your home and lock down your digital life — but you have me.
The good news: There’s a lot you can do right now to lock out a jerk. The bad news: It’s a lot of work, but I promise you it’s worth it — and it’s so much better than sitting around wondering what your stalker will do next.
Start with a list
What accounts, passwords and devices do you believe he has access to? Sit down and make a list of all you can think of. Check your browser’s saved passwords for inspiration.
One by one, sign out of each account on every device, then change every single password. A password manager will help you generate new, strong passwords no one can guess.
Just to get you thinking, here are some other sites and platforms you should check and update your passwords for:
- Every email account you have.
- Banking, Social Security, 401(k) and other financial sites.
- Social media accounts, along with sites like Nextdoor.
- Cloud storage platforms, including Apple iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, along with any online backup accounts.
- Online shopping sites or anywhere else you’ve saved or entered your credit card information (think streaming media).
- Any apps you use on your phone or tablet.
I have steps here to change your password for several major sites, including Amazon, Netflix, Facebook and Spotify.
Upgrade your router
So many people forget just how much info someone can access if they know the login info for your router. Theoretically, they can see what you do online and what devices are connected.
Privacy tip: Make sure you're not accidentally sharing your location with apps or people
Ever text a picture to an acquaintance or someone you just met? Depending on your phone and camera’s settings, you may have inadvertently sent where you live, too. This is what someone can see from just a photo.
One good thing about social media is that most platforms wipe out this data. Still, they’re exposing you in other ways. Here’s how to check everything Facebook collects.
Ask a tech expert: What is the best way to keep private photos hidden?
You’re on the right track! I don’t recommend relying on Google Drive or iCloud alone. For one, they’re obvious targets for hackers. If someone gets their hands on your Google login or Apple ID, they get access to all your photos, including those meant for your eyes only.
How NASA plans to backup data on lunar soil
Think the cloud is a safe bet for your data? In a world of increasing data breaches, hackers and threats, even cloud storage might not be enough. So, why not look to the stars — or, better yet, the moon?
NASA is partnering with Lonestar, a Florida-based computing startup, and the Isle of Man, that self-governing British Crown Dependency you might’ve never heard about.
3 best methods to store your favorite recipes in the cloud
If you value family traditions, you should store recipes in the cloud. Replacing tattered cookbooks makes life easier and your kitchen cleaner. It’s easy with recipe management software.
A cloud-based library allows you to access your recipes while away from home. This means you can pull up a recipe on your phone to get all the ingredients at the grocery store. While you’re there, use these seven strategies to save money on groceries.
Divorcing your spouse: How to safely remove them from shared accounts
When you host a show on over 400 radio stations in the U.S. about all things tech, this question comes up quite a bit: “How can I tell if my partner is cheating?”
My best advice is to have an honest conversation with your partner, with the support of a couple’s therapist. Still, cheating does leave a ton of tech breadcrumbs. You have to know where to look.
3 steps to make your (or a family member's) phone safer
When it comes to tech questions, I’ve gotten them all. More than ever, I’m hearing from people inundated with requests from older family members to fix their devices.
Maybe they clicked a bad link, and their computer is acting up. Tap or click for eight signs it’s infected with malware or other malicious software.
3 smartphone tech tips everyone over 50 must know
Embracing the digital age can improve your life, both personally and professionally. But it can be hard to keep up with the crowd if you didn’t grow up with high-tech gadgets like smartphones or tablets. That’s why we’re sharing a few tech skills all folks over 50 should know.
The safe way to save your tax files from years past (do this now!)
We’re down to the eleventh hour: Tax Day is coming up on April 18. If you’re one of the millions of Americans filing electronically, watch out! A popular e-file tax site was caught spreading malware for weeks. Here’s what you need to know.
Listener question: ‘Where’s the safest place to store my wife’s naked pictures?’
Fibbing on the internet is as easy as stealing candy from a baby. So, when a Kim Komando Show listener wrote to me and said he was a world-renowned fashion photographer, I raised an eyebrow. Then he asked me for advice on storing nudes safely, and both eyebrows shot up.
Do this now with your Amazon storage so you don't lose everything
Next year, the Amazon Drive shutdown could wipe away your photos, files and other important documents. On the bright side, Amazon Prime users have time to take action. The company will permanently stop supporting Amazon Drive on Dec. 31, 2023.
Have an iPhone, iPad or Mac? Here's how to set up Apple's built-in storage
Regarding storage, two important factors must be considered: Capacity and security. You want enough space to store your files, and you want them stored safely.
Cloud storage is an excellent choice for storing photos. You don’t have to worry about cluttering and slowing down your phone, and you can access them from your computer, phone or other connected devices. We’ve broken down a few options for you. Tap or click here to check out our report on Google Photos vs. iCloud vs. IDrive.
Organize your messy photo collection in 6 simple steps
Almost everyone today has a high-powered camera in their pocket and can take photos with reckless abandon. The days of “I wish I had a camera to capture this moment” are over. While it’s great to be able to take as many photos as you want, the drawback quickly becomes clear.
Privacy how-to: Secure ways to hide naked photos
When you host a national radio show about all things tech, you hear some pretty wild stories. There was the woman who called me because someone stalking her daughter knew when they were eating dinner — and even posted mom’s phone number on a porn site. Tap or click here to find out how I helped track down a stalker and get him arrested.
Apple to pay nearly $15M in iCloud refunds - See if you’re eligible
Mobile phones have excellent features these days, but more significant storage requirements come with technology upgrades. If you only have 64GB of internal storage, it will fill to the brim with photos and videos in no time. Tap or click here for what to do if your iCloud or Google storage is full.
3 tech favorites Kim relies on that you should, too
As America’s tech pro and a small business owner for over 20 years, Kim has partnered with a few hardware and software vendors and companies.
These companies may sponsor The Kim Komando Show and Komando.com, but she honestly trusts their time-saving tools, security features and money-saving innovations. Kim only partners with companies she is proud to bring to you and uses herself, and she arranges special deals to make these products even more affordable.
Best ways to organize your cloud storage files
Think back to the days when we had to store everything locally on our computers. Thumb drives and external hard drives helped, but it was cumbersome.
Today, everything syncs right to cloud storage. Is it safe to store personal documents like your ID, financial info, or medical files in the cloud? Tap or click for the answer.
Tech pro tip: Recovering data from an external hard drive
As you upgrade equipment, your files follow you around from one device to another. From phones to computers to tablets, you want your stuff to remain intact. There are a few ways to accomplish this task.
Cloud storage has made it so we can access files from any device at any time. Photos are among the biggest storage hogs and it gets to the point where there are too many for one device. You have a few options to send photos to the cloud. Tap or click here and we’ll help you make your decision.
How to erase everything Google knows about you
Ever notice how Google always seems to know exactly what you’re looking for? It’s no coincidence. Google knows what you’re interested in, what you search for, where you go and much, much more about who you are. How? Because of all the data you share.