Turn your AirTag or tracker into a personal safety tool. Share your location, set up check-ins, and alert loved ones instantly. Works with Apple or Android devices for peace of mind anytime, anywhere.
Guess who’s spying from your bookshelf
ChatGPT
With more than 500 million Alexa-enabled devices sold worldwide, odds are you’ve got one sitting on your counter or desk, quietly glowing, always listening. Ever mutter something like, “I need new jeans,” and suddenly your phone’s serving up Levi’s ads? Creepy coincidence or hot mic in action?
Alexa is always in listening mode, waiting for the wake word. Then, she starts recording, and that audio gets shipped off to the cloud. By the way, you might’ve said “a lecture,” “erector” or “I’d like a snack,” but Alexa still perks up like it’s her cue to record the next few seconds of your life for her memoir.
🧑⚖️ Alexa, mind your business
Those recordings get stored, reviewed and sometimes even shared. One couple in Portland, Oregon, had their private conversation recorded by Alexa … and it was automatically sent to one of their contacts. That person worked at their company. Awkward.
Another time, Amazon turned over Alexa recordings as evidence in a murder investigation. So yes, your smart speaker might actually testify against you.
🔊 On the record
Unless you’ve changed your settings, there’s a running log of everything you’ve ever asked. The good, the bad and the weird. Want to hear them for yourself?
In the Alexa app: Tap More (three lines at the bottom) > Alexa Privacy > Review Voice and Text History. You can play them back, delete them or pretend you never asked what you just asked.
🤫 Alexa’s problem friends
Some third-party skills and apps can access your mic, calendar and contacts without much oversight. Some have been caught secretly storing data or exploiting commands, all without your knowledge.
These add-ons don’t get vetted like App Store or Play Store apps. So you’re trusting Alexa to vet her friends, and she’s a terrible bouncer.
🛡️ Your privacy checklist
Meet the scammers driving your neighborhood
ChatGPT
Ever get one of those weird texts that says something like, “Your package is waiting” or “Click here to unlock your cash reward”? We all have. Most people figure it’s just a scammy mass text from some sketchy website.
🛏️ Fake sleep science: Turns out sleep trackers are only 65% accurate at guessing your sleep stages. They’re basically playing a slightly smarter version of “Are You Asleep Yet?” based on your wrist twitches. Helpful? Maybe. Lab-grade reliable? Not even close. Still, 1 in 3 adults say they aren’t getting enough sleep, which explains why we keep buying the devices.
⌚ watchOS 26: The Notes app is finally on the Apple Watch. Open it and you’ll see all your synced notes. Pinned notes show up first, then everything else is sorted by date. To create a new one, tap the Note button in the bottom right, dictate with Siri and hit Done. It’ll appear in Today and sync across your devices.
Your new router might be a waste of money
Midjourney
You’ve probably seen the sales pitches. “Get blazing-fast Wi-Fi 7 with internet speeds like you’ve never seen before. Just $600 for a new state-of-the-art router!” Let me save you money.
Yes, Wi-Fi 7 is fast. Theoretical speeds reach up to 46 Gbps. That’s 46,000 Mbps, compared to Wi-Fi 6, which tops out around 9.6 Gbps (9,600 Mbps). Here’s what that means in real life.
The catfisher in the minivan
Netflix
Alert: This article is a spoiler for Unknown Number: The High School Catfish on Netflix.
Imagine you’re a high school girl. Your phone won’t stop buzzing. It’s not friendly DMs, texts or social media notifications.
🔥 Delete these apps now: Hackers snuck 224 fake apps into Google Play, downloaded over 38 million times. Yes, you read that right. Disguised with names like CreateCreatives, Foocus, ChatGLM and ClapTrack (ahem, clap to find your phone?), they looked harmless but installed shady ads. Then came the real damage: The apps hijacked devices, silently launching invisible web browsers that ran 24/7, draining battery life, eating up data, slowing down performance and overheating phones, all to generate 2.3 billion fake ad views per day. Ad networks paid out as if real users were watching, while your phone was working overtime behind your back. Check your device for any apps listed here.
💬 Check linked devices on WhatsApp: If you’ve used WhatsApp on Windows, Mac or in a browser, make sure no one’s snooping on your chats. Open WhatsApp, go to Settings > Linked devices and log out of anything that looks suspicious. FYI: WhatsApp also auto-disconnects inactive linked devices after 30 days.
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Fingerprints can save lives, literally
Make life easier for loved ones with quick phone access. Set up fingerprint or face ID on your spouse’s, child’s, or parent’s devices for emergencies, navigation, or shared logistics. It’s secure, simple, and keeps the people you trust connected.
My secret to speedy, safe devices: I use TotalAV to keep my devices safe and running fast. It blocks viruses, cleans out junk and even stops hackers before they strike. Get your first year for just $19 today!
Hidden setting lets apps spy on you through Bluetooth
Midjourney
Think Bluetooth is just for headphones and car calls? Think again. It’s one of the sneakiest ways apps track you, and most people have no clue it’s happening.
Even when GPS is off, your phone is constantly “sniffing” for nearby devices like AirTags, smartwatches and fitness trackers. That’s normal.
📺 Cast your Chromebook to a TV: Want a bigger screen for movies or presentations? Make sure your Chromebook and smart TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. Open the Chrome browser, click the three-dot menu (top right), select Cast and choose your TV from the list of available devices.
Use a Bluetooth mouse on iPad: Put your mouse in pairing mode, then on your iPad, go to Settings > Bluetooth and look under Other Devices. Tap to pair, and once it connects, a cursor will appear. FYI: You’ll need iPadOS 13.4 or later and a compatible mouse (here’s one on sale).
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Share your phone’s internet: Turn your mobile data into Wi-Fi for other devices. On iPhone, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot and toggle Allow Others to Join. On Android, go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Then, on your laptop or tablet, open Wi-Fi settings and connect to your phone’s hotspot name.
Schools spying on kids at home?
Back to school means more than just books and homework. Parents, check your kids’ devices now for school-installed spyware that uses AI to monitor texts, searches, and online activity, even at home, and may be watching your entire family. Here’s what you need to know.
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📺 Block the binge: Netflix loves to autoplay the next episode, but you can turn this off. On desktop, click your account picture and select Manage Profiles. Choose Your Profile, go to Playback settings and toggle off Autoplay next episode in a series on all devices. Now hit Save at the bottom.