Terrorism threats are the highest since 9/11. The government’s response? Lots of surveillance. Then I talk to caller Demetra from Kentucky. She says her doctor daughter gets hundreds of mean reviews online. Is there anything she can do? Plus: Your driving app might be spying and how to find your phone on silent.
Kim’s cart: 10 genius buys that keep you (and your stuff) safe
ChatGPT
I test a lot of gear. Every product here solves a sneaky problem and helps you stay one step ahead of scammers, snoops and opportunists. I’ve done the digging so you don’t have to. Let’s go shopping!
✍️ 1. Pens that stop check washing
Fraudsters love “washing” checks and rewriting new amounts unless you use this pen. Its ink chemically bonds with paper, so the info can’t be scrubbed off. Get Uni-ball 207 Gel Pens ($6.08).
📦 2. Safe mailing, sealed tight
Sending something sensitive? These tough mailers make it obvious if someone tried to tamper with your package. Shop Columbian Security Envelopes ($18.89, 6% off).
🖐️ 3. Skip the shredder
It’s fast, easy and way more fun than shredding. Just roll this over addresses or barcodes to obscure them. See the Identity Theft Protection Stamp Roller ($9.99, 33% off).
📬 4. Your mailbox, upgraded
Curbside mail theft is real. This locking mailbox keeps your deliveries secure, and it’s built like a tank. Buy the Mail Boss 7506 on Amazon ($99.99).
💳 5. Block digital pickpockets
Stylish and secure, this thin wallet stops RFID scanning and looks good doing it. There’s a women’s version, too! Get the RUNBOX RFID Wallet ($21.45, 17% off).
🔌 6. Power without the risk
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Loneliness? There’s an AI for that
ChatGPT
Zuckerberg might be onto something … and it’s not just world domination this time.
A listener wrote to me recently, and I haven’t stopped thinking about his story. This man has been married to his wife for 56 years. She now has dementia and no longer remembers him, their children or their lifetime of memories. So what did he do?
Privacy disaster: Meta’s AI assistant scoops up personal data from Facebook and Instagram to train its models. Even public posts, comments and interactions could be fair game unless you opt out. The catch? Most people don’t even know it’s happening. If you use the app, you really need to read this now.
Facebook on mute: Whether you’re sneaking a scroll at work or just want things silenced, it’s easy to stop videos from auto-playing with sound. On your phone, go to Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Media and toggle Videos Start with Sound off. Ah, much better.
This is worse than spam calls
ChatGPT
Most people have never heard of companies like Mobilewalla or Gravy Analytics, but they know you.
The FTC just clamped down on these two for secretly vacuuming up people’s real-time location data without consent. Not just estimated neighborhoods or passing GPS flickers.
Reset your social media algorithms
ChatGPT
Ever scroll through Instagram or Facebook and wonder, Why am I still seeing goat yoga videos and political or family drama from 2009? Our social media feeds are Frankenstein monsters built from everything we’ve clicked on, liked, hovered over or even winced at for half a second.
Self-checkout thieves, busted — June 7th, Hour 3
Nearly one in seven Americans admit to stealing from self-checkout. Would you? Plus, more wild tech stories: a $17 million North Korean laptop scam, the most powerful DIY laser on YouTube, and the new American drone built for privacy.
Disable Microsoft ads: Windows loves promoting its own services. To turn it off, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows permissions > General, and toggle off all five options. Then go to Settings > System > Notifications > Additional settings, and untick Get tips and suggestions when using Windows.
Privacy vs. terrorism
The feds say the threat of a major terrorist attack is the highest since 9/11. How are they fighting back? Surveillance.
🎧 Spotify sounding flat? On mobile, it might default to lower audio quality to save data. On iOS, go to Settings and privacy > Audio Quality and set it to High. On Android, go to Settings and privacy > Media Quality and set it to High. If you have Premium, there’s also a Very High option. One great option that always sounds great is my show, IMHO.
Protect your privacy without lifting a finger: Tired of your personal data floating around online? Incogni scrubs it from data brokers and people search sites. With my exclusive link, get 60% off unlimited plans. Choose which sites to target, and take back your privacy today!
Big Tech are email snoops: Gmail, Yahoo and all those other Big Tech companies track your email activity. StartMail puts privacy first! No ads, no tracking, includes encrypted emails and disposable addresses. Get 60% off your first year, and try it free for seven days.
🧬 Bankrupt 23andMe just got bought: Regeneron is scooping it up for $256 million. Who’s that? A biotech company big on cancer and disease research. So yep, they’ll now have access to all that juicy genetic data. They say they’ll honor current privacy rules. Sure.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: On Facebook, go to Settings > Privacy > “Who can look you up?” and lock it down to friends only.
Your brain got doxxed: Warning for you. Neurotech sleep and wellness gadgets are quietly collecting, and selling, your brain waves. These supposed brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies aren’t covered under medical privacy laws. Your mood, thoughts or mental health patterns are on the market to the highest bidder. It never stops.
📬 Tired of spam and snooping? Bob from Illinois said it best: “I switched to StartMail, and I get no more junk email. Plus, no big tech snoops and trackers!” You can move your whole inbox without missing a beat, too. No downtime, no data lost and total privacy. Right now, snag 60% off your first year — a smart switch at a smart price.
😤 Sick of strangers selling your personal info? That’s why I use and trust Incogni. It forces data brokers to delete your private information automatically. Right now, you can get 60% off with my exclusive deal . It’s a small price to pay for real peace of mind. Take back control of your privacy today!
How the Vatican is locking down the conclave
ChatGPT
You think keeping a secret in today’s world is tough? Try running one of the most important elections on the planet while dodging drones, AI surveillance and a smartphone in every pocket.
When Pope Francis passed away, the Vatican went into immediate lockdown mode to protect the conclave, the centuries-old process where cardinals vote to elect the next pope. Let me tell you, the security isn’t just tight. It’s basically a Tom Clancy novel on espresso.
🔒 WhatsApp’s new privacy feature: Scammers love to ask you to use WhatsApp. When the new Advanced Chat Privacy mode is on, your messages can’t be exported and pics/vids won’t auto-download. To find it, tap the chat name, then select Advanced Chat Privacy.