Crypto bragging rights aren’t worth 17 days as a hostage. Plus, LexisNexis data breach, how to spot digital cheaters, and Paul from Missouri wants to turn his 3D-printed puzzle hobby into a hit YouTube channel.
🪴 I wet my plants: AI-generated houseplant scams, like fake glowing monstera, blue sunflowers and bogus care tips, are spreading online. Real plant nerds are mad. Between mislabeled seeds, floating pots and chatbot advice that could kill a fern in 10 seconds, AI’s turning a peaceful hobby into a digital funhouse of botanical lies.
#1
Where America ranks in online vulgarity among English-speaking countries. Yes, “land of the free” also means land of the free to say anything we want. Turns out, 1 in every 2,800 words typed by Americans online is a swear, making us the reigning champs of digital potty mouths.
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👨💼 AI coworkers are here: Bank of New York Mellon is now using “digital workers” alongside staff. They have company logins and handle tasks like coding and payment instruction validation on their own, then report to managers for approval. Next up? Giving them email addresses and Teams access to chat with colleagues.
🎙️ Tune in this weekend! My national radio show is airing coast to coast on 420+ stations, and you’re officially invited. I’m sharing smart tech tips, digital life hacks, stories too wild for the newsletter, and chatting with listeners like you. Don’t miss it! Find your local station or get the podcast.
✈️ TSA greenlights digital IDs: Good news ahead of Apple’s iOS 26 update. It’ll let iPhone owners add a digital ID to Apple Wallet using their U.S. passport. You’ll be able to use it for domestic flights, but only at certain California airports (for now). And yes, you should still bring your physical ID, just in case. PSA: That’s not your Costco card.
Tracked and fambushed: New word to know. Teens are stalking their moms, using things like Life360 and Snap Maps to “fambush” their parents. Basically, they show up unannounced at Starbucks, restaurants or … dates. It’s part bonding moment, part digital stakeout, and mostly just unhinged with a dash of funny. Parents are starting to realize: Maybe they’re the ones who need privacy settings.
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👑 Long live the king: Streaming officially beat both cable AND broadcast TV in May. The twist? Boomers sealed the deal, now bingeing reruns on YouTube, Pluto and Tubi like digital cowboys. The old networks are just looped SVU marathons now. Even Gunsmoke is streaming. It’s the Cord-Cutting End Times. Grandpa ditched CNN for cat videos in 4K.
👾 Farming pays: Roblox’s new super-hit Grow a Garden has sparked a black market for digital fruit. People are flipping dragonflies and polar bears for $200+ despite it violating Roblox rules. Gamers are basically becoming produce smugglers. It’s Farmville meets Wall Street. Congrats to the guy who sold a few tomatoes to pay his paid rent.
From crayon to canvas: Bring your child’s sketch to life with a little AI magic. Just upload a pic to ChatGPT (or your favorite bot), and say, “This is a photo of my child’s drawing of a [describe it]. Turn it into a digital illustration in a [watercolor, cartoon, etc.] style.” Boom, instant keepsake.
💬 Catfished by herself: One woman’s “online girlfriend” turned out to be … also herself? The digital muse/impersonator had built a fake Instagram to impersonate her, complete with matching tattoos, selfies and even unsolicited lewds, which the impostor was sending to other people. Love languages: words of affirmation, physical touch, identity fraud.
88%
That’s how many Gen Zers are cool with sharing their data for free. Now, Verb.AI’s giving them a reason to actually profit from the surveillance. Gen Z: simultaneously terrified of phone calls and totally fine letting a startup track their every digital move. “It’s not stalking if it’s opt-in,” apparently.
$50 an hour
What Meta’s offering people to record their smiles, small talk and movements. It’s part of Project Warhol, a push to build super-realistic digital avatars. One day, your 3D clone could pop into VR meetings or games. The catch? You’ve got to be 18+ and head to their Pittsburgh lab starting in September.
Set digital boundaries: Create a Samsung account for your child, so you can watch and manage what they see on their phone. Go to Settings > [your name] > Family > Add family member > Create child account and follow the prompts. Once you’re set up, your child will be added to your Family Group.
Paying to unplug: What happened to self-control? Folks are dropping thousands to stay at places like Grand Velas Resorts in Mexico for a digital detox. No phones. No TV. Instead? Board games, snorkeling and outdoor activities. Most guests go crazy in the first 24 hours … but adjust by day three.
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eBay’s new shopping friend: eBay’s new AI shopping “companion” wants to spiritually replace the friend who knew your vibe and your 3 a.m. niche obsessions. Its new generative AI guide is designed to guide you through the digital thrift store with next-generation ease. It’s slowly being rolled out to U.S. customers near the search bar.