🍑 Imagine accidentally leaking your own nudes: That’s what happened to one guy thanks to a little-known Google Pixel setting. Pressing the power button five times activates Emergency SOS. It calls emergency services and sends a video recording to your chosen contacts. He was naked in bed and half asleep. You can turn it off under Settings > Safety & Emergency > Emergency SOS.
You didn’t search it, but the ad still found you
ChatGPT
Mention taking a trip to Antarctica near your phone, and suddenly every screen you own starts pushing parkas. You didn’t search it. Didn’t type it. Definitely didn’t ask your smart speaker to recommend thermal underwear. But the “Visit Antarctica” ads found you anyway. So how did they know?
Chances are, you were hit by ultrasonic cross-device tracking.
This high-frequency sound is too high for your ears to notice, but it connects your devices without your knowledge. No clicks. No cookies. Just vibes.
🎯 What is ultrasonic tracking?
It’s audio surveillance in stealth mode.
Ultrasonic tones (usually between 18–22 kHz) are baked into ads, websites, even retail kiosks. You won’t hear them, but your devices do.
That’s how advertisers link your laptop, smart TV, phone and even your smart speaker together as one user profile. That profile can then be used to deliver hyper-targeted ads and track your behavior across devices and platforms. Nice.
🧠 Why marketers love it
Because it’s invisible. And almost no one’s blocking it.
Unlike cookies or GPS tracking, this doesn’t ask for permission. It’s passive, sneaky and hard to detect.
😳 Yes, it’s real
The FTC isn’t thrilled about this tech. They issued warnings to companies using it without proper disclosure, especially ones embedding code into apps and ads. Marketers are still pushing the limits, quietly experimenting without you clicking a thing.
Tech how-to: Delete your DNA data
ChatGPT
You can freeze your credit. Change your password. Replace a stolen phone. But there’s one thing you can’t ever change: your DNA.
That’s why the news that 23andMe just filed for bankruptcy should set off alarms. This company collected genetic information from over 15 million people. Yours could be sold as part of bankruptcy proceedings, absorbed into a merger or leaked in a breach. You’ll never know until it’s too late.
Switching to StartMail is easier than you think. You can transfer your inbox and contacts in just a few clicks — no hassle, no headaches. Unlike big tech email providers, StartMail puts your privacy first. No more scanning your messages to target you with ads. Just secure, private email that puts you in control. Check it out now.
Why you need a second phone number
I have a second number on my phone. You should, too.
Your main number? Keep that locked down for the important stuff — your bank, doctor’s office and family. But when you’re ordering takeout, signing up for a one-time deal or making an online purchase, why give out your real number?
Flying or cruising? They’re watching you.
You might not realize it, but airlines and cruise lines collect a lot of data, from your seat choice to the websites you browse on their Wi-Fi.
When you book a flight or cruise, they collect the usual stuff, including your name, email, phone number, passport info and payment details. But it doesn’t stop there. They also track:
🖨️ Print-happy warning: When you print a doc at FedEx, Staples or UPS, check the fine print. Their policies say they can use whatever you print for advertising or share it with unnamed third parties. No, thanks. UPS: “Sure, we’ll print your divorce papers … and maybe send them to Pepsi’s marketing team.”
Big Tech chooses the emails you see: That’s why (gasp) my newsletter and other stuff you want to see can get lost in junk or promotions. Try my email pick built around your privacy, StartMail. Hit this link for a free seven-day trial.
🛑 Stop ad trackers: It makes it harder for advertisers and data brokers to snoop on you. On iPhones, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking and toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track. For Androids, open Settings > Google > Ads, then enable Opt out of Ads Personalization.
Facebook’s newest snoop: Meet Link History, which Facebook says is a handy tool for saving your browsing. Privacy concern? Absolutely. FB tracks and sells all your clicks. Here’s how to turn it off: Open the Facebook app, tap Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Browser, and toggle off Allow link history.
Tell Instagram to stop tracking you: Go to your profile and click the three-line icon > Accounts Center. Choose Ad Preferences > Manage info > Activity information from ad partners. Tap Review Settings, then No, don’t make my ads more relevant. Press Confirm. Voila.
Get everything Amazon collects and tracks about you
I was doing some research about Amazon and ran across a golden nugget I couldn’t wait to share with you. We all know Amazon tracks everything including what you browse, buy, watch and even ask Alexa.
But here’s the surprise: You can download all of it. I’ll show you how.
Delete these snoopy Chrome browser extensions
Let’s start with the basics. Chrome extensions add extra features not built into Chrome, like ad blocking, translations and one-click full-page screenshots.
Just like apps on your phone, extensions request permissions to track what you do, see and share online. But many extensions get far more access than they need and collect data way beyond their intended purpose. And that’s when you’re at risk of identity theft, scams and data harvesting.
Retailers, data brokers and ads, oh my!
Linda recently called my national radio show with a question that flooded my inbox. Clearly, a lot of you have experienced a similarly eerie moment.
I hear you: “Kim, her phone was listening!” The answer isn’t that simple, but I can explain what’s really going on.
Tech how-to: Check your phone for signs someone is watching
support.apple.com, discussions.apple.com, support.google.com, © Albertshakirov | Dreamstime.com
I get so many calls during my national radio show and DMs from folks who think they’re being stalked. Sometimes, the person is seeing signs that aren’t there. Other times, it’s clear there’s something going on. It’s not surprising, given how easy it is for tech to watch someone’s movements.
Fitness apps are selling your privacy – how to protect your data
© Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com, © Ammentorp | Dreamstime.com
How to run a 5-minute privacy check on your phone
Koldunova Anna | Dreamstime.com, Vadym Medvediev | Dreamstime.com
We’ve all got a lot of sensitive info on our phones — texts with loved ones, banking details, passwords and family photos. You don’t want anyone snooping around, whether it’s an app maker on the other side of the world or the guy sitting behind you at the coffee shop.
10 privacy-friendly Big Tech alternatives
Nextcloud.com, play.google.com, Notesnook.com
Amazon uses your Alexa voice commands to train its AI, Dropbox had a breach in April that exposed customers’ passwords, and apps like Facebook and Google make billions of dollars gathering and sharing every little detail about you. I could go on (and on).
Why I used Incogni to wipe my info off the internet
I got this note the other day from Mike S. (Hi, Mike! 👋): “Next time you talk about Incogni, maybe you can do a deep dive?”
Mike, you’re not the only reader who’s asked for a more in-depth look at how Incogni works and why I chose it to wipe my info from data broker sites. I picked this service before they became a sponsor. So, without further ado …
RIP, Do Not Track: Mozilla axed the 13-year-old privacy option in its latest Firefox browser update. The idea was you could hit a button to tell websites not to opt you into browsing cookies you encountered online. Spoiler: It never really worked, since most advertisers just ignored it. Chrome and Microsoft Edge still include the useless option.