Don’t want to allow nosey people to see your house? Try this!
How to know if you’re being stalked or are just paranoid
I’ve heard it all on my national radio show. There was the guy totally freaked out because too many strangers in public knew his name for it to be a coincidence. (His name was Buddy.)
There was a woman who swore one of Metallica’s band members hacked her iPhone to stalk her after she rejected him online. And another who bought and sold three cars because she thought they all had hidden trackers.
They all ask the same question: “Is it me or is someone/something tracking everything I do on my device?”
Tracking happens, no doubt, and it’s getting worse, given how easy these tools are for anyone to use. But I also know sometimes, it’s paranoia at work. Before you panic, let’s talk through a few scenarios.
‘I see ads for things I talked about’
I was talking to my husband about taking a hiking trip in Patagonia. I walked upstairs, sat at my laptop, and travel ads for a Patagonian getaway were on my screen. Tech companies insist this is a coincidence.
If you don’t want to believe Big Tech (I don’t blame you), take privacy into your own hands. Skip the smart speaker or turn off its microphone when it’s not in use. On your phone or computer, pop into your settings to turn off your mic for specific apps and sites, or force your device to ask you each time before enabling it.
‘They know where I am’
Dana called my show with a frightening story. Her daughter is a college student who was afraid to leave the house because unknown numbers sent her threatening texts no matter where she went. “They know what time we eat dinner, our workplaces and our schedules,” Dana told me.
This case was true harassment. I called Ricoh Danielson, a friend of the show and digital forensics expert, who helped track down the guy. Turns out, it was someone Dana’s daughter had talked to on a dating app. Here are Danielson’s tips for if something like this happens to your family.
‘Is Google stalking me?’
I once had a caller concerned Google knew his schedule too well. A few weekends in a row, he drove to his son’s house to mow his lawn while his son was out of town. The following Saturday, a pop-up from Google Maps told him how long it’d take to get to his son’s home in current traffic.
These apps are the biggest oversharers on your phone
I talk a lot about how most apps default to automatically sharing your data with advertisers and marketing companies. But some apps share your personal info with other people by default.
Yeah, no, thank you. Let’s end this today. Here are the most common app oversharers on your phone and how to get them to stop.
The Waze of the future: Google Maps is baking in Waze’s real-time incident reports. You’ll get alerts for accidents and speed traps reported by Waze’s 140 million active users. It’s rolling out slowly, so be patient if you don’t have the intel yet. (Yes, Google owns Waze.)
"We have pics of your home"
Scammers are sending emails with Google Maps images of your house, claiming they’ve hacked your computer. Are they for real? Here’s the answer.
Google Maps upgrade: You can now chat with the app to find things to do, restaurants to visit and nearby attractions, all with reviews. You’ll see detailed parking info near your destination and walking directions when you exit your car, too.
$300 a year
For Google Maps access in a new Chevy Silverado. It’s now built into the infotainment system through Chevy’s Connected Vehicle Plan, priced at $24.99 a month. To make matters more annoying, reviewers say it doesn’t even work well.
6 ways tech can solve life's little annoyances
Minor tech annoyances can seem small at the moment. But in the grand scheme of things, they can cause stress and wasted time. If you don’t want tech issues to have a significant impact, cut them off with these tech life hacks.
Google Maps secret: This one’s perfect for planning sneaky surprises like checking out a vacation spot. In the app, tap your avatar, select Turn on Incognito mode and look for the Incognito icon in the search bar. When you’re done, tap the Incognito icon again and select Turn off Incognito mode.
Traveling solo? Share your location with your family and friends. On iPhone, open the Find My app and tap People (bottom of the screen) > + (plus icon) > Share My Location. Then, select a contact, hit Send and choose the duration. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon (top right) > Location sharing > New Share and send the link through your messaging app. Safe travels!
🌲 Over the river and through the woods: See the best time to leave for Grandma’s house (or anywhere else) without arguing. In Apple Maps, press the Now button on the left to open a calendar. In Google Maps, tap the three dots at the top right. For both, select Leave/Depart at or Arrive by and hit Done.
📍 Explore along your route: Make your road trip more scenic with a hidden feature in Google Maps. Enter your destination, tap Directions and press Add stops. It’ll show you the best places to eat, shop and other gems along your drive.
Speaking of Alphabet, “G” is also for Gemini: Gemini AI in Google Maps can help you find interesting spots nearby, and it even summarizes others’ reviews. Any chatbot can use this data to answer location-based questions. In Waze, you can report accidents just by talking to the app, too. They’re hoping more eyeballs in the apps equals more ad dollars.
This “doorway” in Antarctica was spotted on Google Maps, and conspiracy theorists have plenty of wacky ideas about it.
🛣️ Hitting the road? Download a map of where you’re going in case you hit a no-service zone. Make sure you’re connected to the internet and not in Incognito mode. Then, open the Google Maps app and search for your destination or city. Tap the name or address > the three dots > select Download offline map > Download.
How far is it? Use Google Maps to find the direct distance between two places, rather than the driving or walking distance. On the web, right-click somewhere on the map and pick Measure distance, then click on a second spot.
Wheelie having a good time: On the web version of Google Maps, click Layers, then Biking. You’ll see all the smaller paths and dirt trails on the map alongside the main roads.
Leave the oversharing to your aunt on Facebook: Some apps share your data with other people, not just advertisers. This includes big names like Google Maps and Venmo. Here’s how to change the privacy settings. (I wish I had room for all the steps here!)
🌎 Sharper satellite images coming to Google Maps and Earth: The Cloud Score+ AI model removes clouds, haze and mist for a clearer, more vibrant view of the globe. Street View is getting an update, too, with better images across 80 countries. And Google Earth will soon show 80 years of historical aerial and satellite shots. Have a minute? Check out these cool Google Earth images.
Remove your home on Google Maps
Burglars use Google Maps to scout homes without getting close — until they strike. This is why you should blur your house, and I’ve got the steps.