How to trust what you read online and tell if it's AI or human
I got this note from Ben in Texas. “Hi there, Kim. I love your podcast. You were talking about AI and I got to thinking. When I read a story online at some website, how can I tell if a human wrote it or some bot?”
Ask USA Today. Last week, a bunch of mysterious bylines (WashPo, paywall link) with stories suddenly appeared on its site. Did these writers have a pulse?
Staff writers at Reviewed spoke out that management published stories written by AI under the names of non-existent humans. They couldn’t find these writers with any other bylines or social media profiles, not even on LinkedIn. Of course, the parent company, Gannett, denies it all.
AI lies
When reading something online, especially at a big site, you want to trust that what you get is the truth. But AI makes things up. Did you hear about the law professor who was accused of sexual harassment? AI made up the whole story.
Humans code AI algorithms, folks, and we’re all full of opinions and biases. When you read an AI-generated article or social media post, remember that you’re actually getting a spoonful of someone else’s viewpoint. It’s like a game of digital telephone, and sometimes, you only hear one side of the story.
I know it’s a lot to think about. Let’s start with identifying what’s AI-generated and what’s not. I’ve got your back with the telltale signs a chatbot made that article or webpage.
It wants to sound important
Remember back in school when you were trying to fill a word or page count? You see the same information repeated over and over … and over, with only slight changes in the phrasing.
Keep an eye out for vocab words that are unnecessary and eye-rolling transitions like “Moreover,” “Consequently” and “Furthermore.” That’s not a kid at his first journalism job — it’s a telltale sign of a bot in the bytes.
Chatbots don’t do analysis
AI can state facts, but it cannot talk about how that impacts real life. A human-written celebrity gossip piece would end with something like, “Kim Kardashian dieting for months to squeeze her butt into the 60-year-old Marilyn Monroe dress proves she’ll do what she must to get attention on social media.”
MOVEit data breach: Is your info safe?
The companies you trust your data with aren’t the only ones who handle it. Vendors, subcontractors, advertisers and other companies are often in the mix. And when one falls down on the job, everyone is screwed.
That’s precisely what happened when bad guys took advantage of a security flaw in the super-popular MOVEit file transfer system. One estimate puts the total number of victims at 513 organizations and 34,682,156 individuals. Yes, you read that number right.
Tech help scam uses a name you know: the Geek Squad
Is your computer running at a snail’s pace? Before you drop a chunk of cash on a new one, clear out some space from the hard drive. Tap or click here to remove the clutter that’s slowing you down.
Sometimes, the problem runs deeper than that. Your computer might not even turn on, or it’s performing erratically. That’s when you may need to reach out for help.
Don't fall for these Prime Day scams
Everyone’s pumped for this year’s Amazon Prime Day — including scammers. Last year, shoppers worldwide bought over 300 million items, giving criminals many opportunities to swoop in and steal information.
These crafty crooks have plenty of tricks up their sleeve, especially when it comes to phishing attacks. To avoid their schemes and order those Prime Day deals without a side of identity fraud, keep on reading.
5 new tricks scammers are using now
In our ever-more-connected world, just navigating our favorite sites and services can feel like stepping into a minefield. From shady emails to dodgy social media messages to scammers gaming search engine results to steal your clicks. You have to know where it’s safe to tread, and that means knowing how to spot scammers.
3 tricks to see if your passwords are being sold on the Dark Web
Hackers can make a ton of money by selling your private information on underground forums. It’s possible that your passwords are being sold on the Dark Web right now. That’s why you should run a cybersecurity check now and then.
The top tactics hackers use to break into your system – And how to stay safe
Picture a hacker. Did you see a shadowy figure in a hoodie typing in password after password? Hate to break it to ya, but they’re a lot smarter than that. (Though I can’t say either way about the hoodies.)
Hackers are jumping on the artificial intelligence bandwagon and upping their game. Get this: AI service PassGAN cracked 51% of common passwords in less than a minute. Let’s take a look at other hacker tools so you can stay safe.
Don't fall for this Google scam about a compromised account
Cybercriminals use every trick in their malicious arsenal to steal personal details. That means they often impersonate actual companies through text messages and emails, claiming something is wrong with your account. Tap or click here for Text scams 101: How to spot a fake Google message.
Use an iPhone or Mac? Don't fall for this iCloud email promising free storage
Getting people to hand over sensitive information is one way cybercriminals rip people off. Sometimes they do this through phishing attacks, and a new campaign targets iPhone and Apple Mac computer users.
Read on to learn how this phishing scheme works and what you can do about it.
Next time you get a request on LinkedIn or another job site, think twice
Can you trust every connection request you receive on LinkedIn? As promising as some profiles or offers may appear on the surface, we’ll be the first to tell you that you should never take requests at face value.
Even if someone appears extremely successful or experienced, somebody up to no good may lurk beneath the surface. So, how can you be sure that the person you’re speaking to is the real deal? Read on for helpful tips.
Watch out for the 9 most creative scams from Kim's inbox — they're scarily deceptive
People always say there are only two certainties in life: Death and taxes. I’d like to propose a third item on the list: Scams. I get so many cons over text and email that I wanted to share them with you in a most creative scams roundup.
Have any crypto? That data breach email is fake!
Have you received a data breach notification from your favorite cryptocurrency wallet? Trezor’s one of the most prominent front-runners in offline crypto storage. Even this huge brand isn’t impervious to phishing campaigns targeting its client base.
LastPass hacked again - Is it time to say goodbye?
One of the big names in password managers, LastPass, was breached last August. At the time, the company claimed that no user data was compromised.
An update in December revealed the hackers then launched a phishing campaign against a LastPass employee, obtaining credentials and keys they used to decrypt some basic customer data, but passwords or usernames remained safe.
3 nasty new phone scams to watch for
Some of the most common scams are phishing emails or text messages with malicious links or attachments. Sometimes you end up on a spoofed login page, and if you enter your credentials, you’re handing them over to criminals. But that’s not always the case. Some prefer to pick up the phone and call potential victims.
Someone left a creepy message in this woman's Netflix - Check your account
Sure, your brother and mom are using your Netflix account. Who else could be stealing your service or personal data from the app?
The following is a modern-day horror story. It speaks to one fear many ordinary people have about their online accounts. Strangers getting their dirty little fingers into their streaming services, browsing history or email inboxes.
Buying new smart home tech? Take this step to keep creeps out
Whenever you buy a new smart device, the first thing to do is change the default password. Without this critical step, hackers could break into your doorbells, thermostats or security cameras. They could turn up the home’s temperature until it’s boiling — or scream death threats over a microphone.
This Amazon phishing scheme is stealing passwords
Amazon Web Services (AWS) forms the backbone of many online businesses as it’s an on-demand cloud platform that offers storage, website hosting, IT infrastructure, developer tools and more. Essentially, it’s a one-stop shop for anything you need to run your online company or service.
How to spot Super Bowl betting scams
Crooks never sleep, and they’re incredibly aggressive during busy times of the year when the victim pool is deep. Tax season is here, and we already see an uptick in scams. Here’s how to spot one and avoid sending your hard-earned money to a criminal.
Don’t fall for this Facebook scam that steals your password
Social media accounts are more valuable to cybercriminals than you might think. Tap or click for 10 accounts more valuable to cybercriminals than your credit card. That’s why thieves are constantly finding new ways to steal credentials. That brings us to a recent Facebook phishing attack. If you fall for it, you’re handing over your account to criminals.
The high-tech way to protect your logins that’s better than 2FA
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is becoming standard across all your devices and accounts, and for good reason. It’s easy to use and one of four ways to protect yourself from hackers and scammers.
2FA usually consists of two things: something you know (like a password) and something you have (like a smartphone). It can even involve who you are (a thumbprint or facial scan).