Scammers are upgrading their tactics. The latest scam uses enticing ads featuring AI art, making everyone think they too can be a content creator.
Ahoy, matey! Streaming costs are bringing back piracy
How much do pirates pay for corn? A buck-an-ear! How much do they pay for streaming services? Uh, they don’t.
On a recent Friday podcast, Andrew mentioned all the services he subscribes to to watch football. A reader sent a note with a suggestion: “Just watch on an illegal streaming site. Oh, and be careful what you click.”
Streaming service costs are increasing by the minute, and more folks are turning to illegal downloads. I’m all for saving money, but that is not the way. Let’s dive into how expensive things have gotten and better ideas than riding the stormy seas of stolen content.
Rising tides
Today, half of the major streaming platforms cost twice as much as they did when they hit the market. Sorry, sports fans, ESPN+ has jacked up its price by 120% since it launched.
Just last week, Apple TV+ raised its monthly subscription from $6.99 to $9.99. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and Netflix all took their prices up a notch in October.
Oh, and Amazon Prime customers now have to pay an extra three bucks a month to avoid ads … that weren’t originally there. Netflix charges extra to share passwords. Want to watch Max in 4K? That’s now extra, too. Sheesh.
Abandon ship
Piracy is making a comeback and it costs the U.S. economy at least $29 billion in lost revenue each year. Yep, billion with a B.
One study found that piracy through streaming sites increased by 16% in 2021 compared to 2020. Researchers blame the uptick partly on the pandemic forcing everyone to stay home, but price increases play a part, too.
The trend continues. Illegal streaming and downloading of films and TV shows make up the most significant portion of global piracy statistics. In 2023, it accounted for 24% of the global bandwidth.
Music piracy used to be a wildfire. If you were a Napster user, it’s probably time for an under-eye cream. However, the flames were put out once platforms like Spotify and Apple Music became more affordable than purchasing actual albums and singles.
Here’s how to catch anyone spying on your text messages
Just about every connected device you have can be used to spy on you, and this isn’t limited to smart speakers and webcams. Here’s how to stop your TV from tracking you.
It gets worse. I was in the pool recently, and a drone flew overhead. More than a million registered hobby drones are buzzing around the country, along with countless unregistered ones. Use these steps to avoid being watched.
Sluggish browser? 5 ways to speed it up
Is your browser running slowly? We will use the four major market contenders for this quick optimization guide: Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. Tap or click here for details on browsers focused on privacy.
Read on for five ways to optimize your browser and prevent sluggish performance.
8 quick and easy ways to clean up your Android
Your smartphone can get bogged down with software, viruses and too many files like a computer. It can run slowly when that happens, which is less than ideal.
If you own an Android phone and want to keep it running like new, there are some steps you’ll need to take. Here are eight maintenance tips to keep your Android as good as new.
Best free Windows and Mac security downloads for your computer
We rounded up some of the best ways to protect your computer against viruses, cyberattacks and other threats. We’ve got you covered if you aren’t familiar with how cybersecurity threats work. Tap or click for a quick breakdown of the five most common digital threats you’ll encounter.
These are hard drives most likely to fail
Many factors can affect your computer’s performance, including viruses and malware. But before you panic, check your hard drive. The closer you get to its maximum capacity, the slower your computer will run. Here’s how much free space you need.
Clues someone is reading or getting a copy of your text messages
Just about every connected device you have can be used to spy on you, and this isn’t limited to smart speakers and webcams. Many smart TVs come equipped with cameras that you don’t even know exist. Tap or click here for tips on stopping your TV from tracking you.
How to know if hackers are in your phone
The iPhone has a reputation for being secure. Apple has a closed operating system (as opposed to Android’s open-source) and more closely monitors and vets apps in the App Store. And with just one phone model, the iPhone, Apple can more easily push out updates and pressure its users to download them.
Update Chrome now! Another zero-day flaw has been found
One of your first lines of defense against viruses and hacks is to keep your programs and apps updated. Developers constantly push out fixes and security patches to protect your systems.
Microsoft recently released an update for Windows 11 that fixes bugs and crashes. Tap or click here for details on the patch and how to get it.
If you have this popular file program on your Mac, delete it now
Think of your computer as your home — you wouldn’t let a stranger in, would you? Those strangers are unfamiliar files, which can very well be malware.
The problem is malware can come disguised as a trusted friend. Remember Adobe Flash? Hopefully, you received the news, but if not, here it is: Flash is dead. And any site or app that tries to sell or offer you anything to do with the Flash should be avoided. Tap or click here to avoid being hacked by Flash pretenders.
Received a Dropbox link via email? Read this before you click
Phishing is among the most common forms of cybercrime. Scammers send countless messages via email, text or phone calls, hoping for a bite.
How do you know if a message is legitimate? It’s not always obvious, but there are ways to suss out the scams. Tap or click here for five subtle clues that email is really a clever phishing scam.
Your earbuds are gross – Here’s how to clean them the right way
It’s a bit stomach-turning when you think about the germs, viruses, grime, and other crud covering our devices.
Dust can do a surprising amount of damage to your TV. Particles find their way into every crack and crevice and stay there unless you do something about it. Tap or click for the safe steps to clean out your TV’s ports — and shine up the screen.
Use Outlook or Microsoft Office? Malware red flag uses a new twist on an old trick
Cybercriminals constantly update their techniques to make malware, viruses and other cyber-threats as hard as possible for humans and artificial intelligence to spot. Antivirus apps check for infected files and malware, but there’s one kind of attack that humans and apps are relatively bad at noticing.
Protect your tech: Time to update Chrome, Windows and iOS
One of the easiest ways to protect against security flaws, hacks, bugs and viruses is to keep your software and devices updated. Developers push updates and patches to repair known security issues and prevent future ones.
True or false: Macs are immune to malware and viruses
There is a common misconception that Apple’s Mac computers can’t get viruses or malware. The belief is that only Windows-based systems suffer from malicious code and nasty bugs.
There is no consensus on where the claim originated. But it might have been Apple itself. Until 2012, Apple’s marketing for its Mac computers included the line that “a Mac isn’t susceptible to the thousands of viruses plaguing Windows-based computers.”
These free antivirus and cleaning apps are putting your phone at risk - Delete them now
You’re never 100% safe from cyberattacks, no matter how careful you are. From malware to viruses to breaches, the best you can do is take precautions to lower your risk.
You may think it’s easy to detect a hacker on your phone. It’s not. The longer a hack goes undetected, the more damage it can do. Tap or click here to learn about signs that your phone is under attack.
7 new iPhone security and privacy features you MUST use
Smartphone developers are constantly working to introduce patches and updates for your device. You shouldn’t hesitate to update as soon as one rolls out, as it could contain important security features to protect you from hacks, malware, viruses and more.
Update your PC! Microsoft patch fixes 3 zero-days, 71 other flaws
When you purchase an app or virtually any modern software, you are not getting the final product. Developers release patches, fixes and new features to secure their work, protect users and stay competitive.
Whan was the last time you updated your browser? It’s important to keep it up to date to protect against malware, phishing attacks, viruses and more. Google recently updated Chrome to patch a zero-day flaw used to launch cyberattacks. Tap or click for details and instructions for updating Chrome.
Own a Mac? Your computer is open to a new flaw with no known fix
Apple devices are renowned for their resistance to viruses, spyware and malware. Much of this claim comes from Apple itself, though the company isn’t as vocal about it anymore.
The thing is that Apple hardware, like your Mac computer, can be infected. But it’s a less common occurrence when compared to PCs. Tap or click here to learn the truth behind the claims.