Law enforcement can access your videos without your okay. Here’s how to keep your footage private.
Cloudy with a solid chance of deletion: AT&T is shutting down its Personal Cloud service on Oct. 31, 2025, and any files stored there will be deleted permanently. If you ever used the app to back up photos, videos or documents, download everything before it’s gone for good. You can move them to Google Photos, OneDrive or your device.
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The number of cat nap videos researchers scrutinized … for science. Cat’s out of the bag, 65% of cats snooze on their left side. Why? Experts say it activates the right brain for lightning-fast reflexes and spatial finesse. The purrfect slumber isn’t just cute. Think elite soldier … in sleep mode, dreaming of chaos.
🖼️ Smarter photo searches on iPhone: The Photos app can now understand natural language. Open the app, tap the blue magnifying glass at the top and type something like “beach walks with dog” or “1 year ago.” You can even search for sounds like “laughing” or “clapping” to find matching videos.
Stop WhatsApp from eating data: Group chats can auto-download tons of photos and videos in the background. Go to Settings > Storage and data > Media auto-download and uncheck all file types under Mobile data, Wi-Fi and Roaming. FYI: You can still download what you need later.
Hackers can stop trains with a $300 device — July 19th, Hour 3
A small, cheap tool lets anyone control train brakes remotely. Tesla’s new robotaxi zone looks … suspicious. Plus, scammers using fake news videos to steal your cash, purple streetlights messing with your eyes, and Florida’s next-gen 911 system.
Apple fights nudity
The U.S. produces millions of porn videos every year but now Apple’s drawing a digital line.
⏩ 2x speed frying memory: A new study says bingeing podcasts and videos at warp speed might make you dumber or at least worsen memory retention. Turns out 2x pushes the brain past its “working memory” limit, especially for older adults. Teens? Basically brain athletes for TikTok TED Talks. The rest of us? Toast.
Have mandatory cybersecurity classes at work? New research from Purdue found anti-phishing training may make workers worse at spotting scams. Turns out, binge-watching security videos doesn’t build instincts, it builds false confidence. One group even clicked more after “interactive” training. That’s right: Your IT team’s monthly guilt-trap quiz might be actively hurting.
🔍 Zoom in on Instagram posts: Using Instagram on your phone and can’t see the tiny details? You can zoom in on photos and videos by spreading two fingers apart on the screen. It’s great for reading small texts. Just don’t double tap by accident while snooping. That late-night “like” is hard to explain.
▶️ Save your YouTube channel: Back up all your videos, just in case. Head to takeout.google.com and select only YouTube and YouTube Music. Then, follow the prompts to download everything in one swoop. Your future self will thank you.
🚨 Fake animal rescues on TikTok and Facebook: Scammers are editing real videos of older creators to make it look like they’re asking for help. One clip shows a man saying he has a story to tell, then it cuts to text: “you stayed 8 seconds so I don’t have to shut down my cat shelter.” Don’t click that donation link.
Fashion forward AI: Google’s new app Doppl lets you upload a body pic and then deepfakes you into different outfits. It also makes videos, in case you needed CGI proof that you can’t pull off cargo pants.
Keep YouTube videos private: Uploading something for work or family? Set the video to Unlisted, so it won’t show up in search, recommendations or on your channel. Only people with the link can watch. Just go to Profile (top right) > YouTube Studio > Content, then under Visibility, choose Unlisted and hit Save.
👑 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.
ICE sightings on Ring: I thought this was interesting. In Los Angeles, people are using Amazon’s Neighbors app to warn each other about possible ICE raids. They’re sharing photos and videos showing where agents were spotted and what vehicles they were driving, plus tagging posts with ice cube emojis.
Meta’s next smart glasses: Meta and Oakley have a new pair dropping Friday, made for athletes this time. No specs yet, but they’ll probably work like the Meta Ray-Bans. Think photos, videos, music, calls and AI that describes what you’re looking at. Oh, and the camera might sit in the center of the frame. Wow.
🛡️ Protect your kids on YouTube: Restricted Mode filters out videos flagged as mature (drugs, alcohol … stuff you don’t want them seeing). Click their Profile (top right) > scroll to Restricted Mode > toggle Activate Restricted Mode. Then hit Lock Restricted Mode on this browser. Bonus: It also hides comments.
📚 Keep their brains busy: Want your kids to stay sharp in math or science this summer? Check out Khan Academy. Free lessons include short videos, practice exercises and hints. There’s even an AI tutor they can chat with when they’re stuck (it’s $4/month). Pro tip: Track their progress with a parent account.