safety Archives

Up your kitchen game for under $50

Proof you don’t need to splurge to snag the right tools.

🔪 Bamboo cutting boards (40% off, three-piece): Built for daily chopping and classy enough to double as party platters.

✂️ Kitchen scissors (23% off): Cut your prep time, literally. Psst … use promo code QMXI6Y6E for an extra 15% off.

🧊 Ice cube tray (38% off): Silicone trays pop cubes out without a fight. Comes with a bin and scoop to keep it all neat.

💦 Under-sink mat (25% off): Leaks happen, but ruined cabinets don’t have to. This grippy liner is your safety net.

✅ Cheat sheet magnet (30% off): Stick it on your fridge and never Google “air fryer time for chicken wings” again.

👩‍🍳 From messy to master chef: There are more handpicked kitchen gadgets right here.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

Tesla’s self-driving mode under fire

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Federal investigators are looking into crashes, fires, and injuries linked to Tesla’s self-driving feature. Experts say it’s another reminder not to trust it with your safety.

🔥 Fire drill: Picture this, you’re an Amazon driver in California, and your route literally runs through a wildfire, smoke everywhere. You call dispatch thinking they’ll tell you to turn back. Instead? “Do what you can.” That’s what Johnny heard. Amazon’s apps track every blink, brake and sip of water, but they can’t seem to provide basic safety guidance like not driving into a fire.

✉️ Another platform, same spam: Just like LinkedIn, X lets anyone send you a message request that clutters your inbox. To stop it, go to Settings and privacy > Privacy and safety > Direct messages > Allow message requests from, and toggle No one. People you follow can still message you. While you’re there, you can also toggle off Show read receipts.

Don’t panic. Prepare

🎥 My pick: Roku indoor camera (33% off)

“Alexa, show me my living room cam.” Plug it in, connect to Wi-Fi, and motion alerts keep you one step ahead. Bonus: HD night vision.

🔊 Personal safety alarm (25% off): Clip an instant backup to your keys. A siren and flashing strobe will draw eyes your way.

🚨 Doorstop alarm (16% off, three-pack): If anyone tries to break in, they’ll get greeted with an ear-splitting 120 dB.

💡 Clip-on flashlight (30% off): Great for late-night walks, this little guy has 10 modes, including four for emergencies.

❤️‍🩹 Wound closure strips (29% off): Think butterfly bandages, but upgraded. They do the job when the ER can’t wait.

🛟 I’m throwing you a lifeline: Build your “just in case” kit on my Amazon page. My handpicked security gear is all there.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

🚨 Roblox backlash grows: The mom of 13-year-old Audree Heine says Roblox’s weak moderation and investor-driven greed let violent communities radicalize her daughter before her suicide. Her lawsuit claims Roblox knew kids were being exploited but “prioritized Wall Street numbers” instead. It’s the 12th case accusing the platform of failing basic child safety. Heartbreaking.

👓 Eyes on the road: Amazon’s new smart glasses guide drivers turn-by-turn, scan packages and even snap delivery pics, all hands-free. Amazon swears it’s about safety, but the internet says it’s step one of “training the bots.” Either way, your driver’s basically half-cyborg now, and a database somewhere has front-row seats to your dog barking through a window.

🧩 Losing the plot: A Canadian guy chatted with ChatGPT for 300 hours and a million words, and the bot basically gaslit him into believing he’d discovered a world-saving math formula (paywall link). A former OpenAI safety researcher dug into the transcripts and found the wild part: The bot lied about reporting itself to OpenAI. I, too, have been personally victimized by math.

Want to be a “breaking news” anchor? The Citizen safety app announced it’ll pay you, up to $400, to livestream nearby emergencies. Fires, crimes, chaos? Grab your phone and hit “Go Live.” Along with pushing real-time alerts, the app is basically turning users into freelance local news crews. No word yet on how to sign up.

🏕️ From campfires to code fires: Scouting America (yep, the rebranded Boy Scouts) launched AI and cybersecurity badges. Scouts learn about deepfakes, algorithmic bias and how to train (not just talk to) chatbots. The cybersecurity badge teaches password safety, phishing defense and digital citizenship. Forget tying knots. “Be prepared” now means knowing how to spot fake news and fake faces.

🙊 ChatGPT, talk dirty to me: Sam Altman just said ChatGPT’s about to get intimate. Like, actual adult conversations, and I’m not talking mortgages and tax season. Part of an attempt to relax safety restrictions and a “treat adults like adults” plan, your friendly little chatbot is going to allow things like erotica for “verified adults.” Translation: The bots are getting lonely.

🎓 Creepin’ 101: Students at the University of San Francisco got a safety alert after reports of a man using Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to film women without consent. Who could have predicted that happening? He’s allegedly posting the clips on TikTok. Idiot.

❌ ICE app blocked: Both the Apple App Store and Google Play pulled ICEBlock, the app that flagged ICE agents nearby. DOJ said it endangered officers, especially after the Dallas shooter allegedly used the app before killing a detainee and injuring two. Whatever your views, when an app puts lives at risk, including those of law enforcement and civilians, it becomes a matter of public safety, not politics.

OpenAI adds parental safety controls: After a slew of lawsuits and deaths, ChatGPT will now flag suicidal prompts from teens, with one big but: Both you and the kids have to opt in first. If something happens, human reviewers step in and alerts go out. Oh, you can also block ChatGPT past bedtime. Remember when you were a teen? Yea, they can get around these controls without a problem.

Never get lost hiking again

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Hit the trails smarter. From AllTrails’ 450,000 mapped routes to Cairn’s safety check-ins and PeakFinder’s mountain IDs, these hiking apps turn your phone into the ultimate trail guide. Here’s what you need to know.

🔒 Big iPhone 17 security upgrade: Apple’s adding a new feature called Memory Integrity Enforcement to take on spyware. It’s always running in the background, protecting the kernel and 70+ processes, which makes stealing your data a lot tougher. The catch? It only works on the new A19 chips. Older iPhones will still get a memory safety update, but not like this.

Turn a tracker into a lifesaver

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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.

Check sketchy apps on Android: Before installing something from the Play Store, see what info it collects and shares. Open the app page, scroll down and tap Data Safety. You’ll find whether it gathers personal details, photos, location or financial info, and if your data is encrypted in transit.

🌪️ Turn on emergency alerts: Your phone can warn you about severe weather or local threats. On Android: Go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Wireless emergency alerts and toggle on Allow alerts. On iPhone: Go to Settings > Notifications, then under Government Alerts, switch on Emergency Alerts and Public Safety Alerts.

🙏🏻 iPhone saves teen’s life: A 16-year-old in Greenville fell asleep at the wheel and crashed, leaving her with multiple broken bones. Trapped inside her pickup, she couldn’t call for help, but her iPhone did. Crash Detection automatically dialed 911 and got rescuers there. Want the same safety net? Go to Settings > Emergency SOS and toggle on Call After Severe Crash.