The Supreme Court made a surprising decision on a social media censorship case involving Missouri and Louisiana. Find out why their lawsuit didn’t go as planned.
How to find and stop hidden fees
When I’m booking air travel, it seems like the price goes up with every click. By the time I pay to check a bag or two, that “great deal” isn’t looking so, well, great.
So of course airlines are fighting the Biden administration’s “junk fees’” rule, which would make them show their fees upfront for checking bags, carrying on a bag, and changing or canceling a reservation.
Virtually every major airline (American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian) is suing to stop this rule. Yeah, and they probably don’t want you to know their checked-baggage fees are going up again (at least, for American).
Airlines aren’t the only ones
It’s called price obfuscation, and I bet it’s happening in your online shopping carts all the time. You see one price when you hit “buy,” and as they tack on more fees, you’re less likely to notice them.
Concert tickets are some of the worst offenders, with service fees, order processing fees, delivery fees and facility charges.
The price obfuscation for concert tickets got so out of control, some states finally made Ticketmaster show “all-in pricing” — your actual ticket cost — instead of the ticket price you think you’re paying.
- 🎶 How to avoid it: When you can, buy tickets at a physical box office to avoid some of the fees.
Hotels stays: Many hotels tack on a “resort fee” they claim is for amenities. Some local governments charge a tourism tax, too. It can add up!
- 🧳 Ask about the charges: If your hotel’s “resort fee” is for a closed pool or a gym you’re not using, politely ask if it can be removed from your bill.
Online shopping: That outfit was a good deal … until you saw the shipping and handling fees.
- 🛍️ Do your own legwork: Literally. If you’re purchasing online for a store with a brick-and-mortar shop in your town, get it shipped there for free and pick it up.
Free or low-cost internet? Here’s who qualifies and how to get it
Depending on where you live, you might not have many internet access options. That can leave you with a more expensive package than you budgeted for or insufficient speeds. However, things are slowly changing as some cable companies are offering free internet services.
⚠️ I’ve warned you about this so many times: When you sign up for Venmo, your payment details and friends list are automatically set to public. Even Tucker Carlson, John Hamm, President Biden and Travis Kelce have had their account info exposed. This gives fraudsters the perfect setup for spear phishing attacks. I have the steps for how to protect your Venmo and make your profile private right here.
Cable companies offering free internet service - See if you qualify
Access to the internet is, for many, a basic necessity. The pandemic has proven a need for stable, high-speed connections so that people can work from home. But it also serves as a vital tool for those looking for employment.
Malware in popular Android app steals your Facebook credentials - Delete it now
Imagine downloading a fun photo-editing app in hopes of turning yourself into a cartoon. Instead, the app doesn’t even work — and to add insult to injury, it steals your Facebook credentials. This isn’t imaginary: It’s based on a true story of about 100,000 people who recently downloaded a malicious app.
The FBI opened it in 40 minutes: Former President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, used a Samsung smartphone. The FBI cracked it with Cellebrite software and found photos of Trump, President Biden and other officials. Crooks also searched for info about major depressive disorders and Princess Kate.
🇺🇸 Disinformation spreading on social media after Trump rally assassination attempt: Some posts, including those from elected officials, baselessly claimed President Biden ordered the shooting or the incident was staged. Do your best to avoid sharing unverified information. No matter which side of the political fence you’re on, it was a very sad day for our country. Prayers up for all.
Deepfakes and Joe Biden's White House
The White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, claims viral videos of President Biden looking frail or confused are deepfakes. But are they really? Here’s the story.
It’s happening: The Senate passed the bill forcing TikTok’s Communist China parent company, ByteDance, to sell or face a ban. And while President Biden has signed off on it, there’s a catch: The ban isn’t rolling out until after the 2024 election. The legislation gives ByteDance nine months to sell with a possible three-month extension. Bet they’ll go down to the wire.
Just days away: The House just passed the TikTok sell-or-ban bill again, but with a twist: It was bundled with urgent foreign aid bills supporting Ukraine and Israel, plus humanitarian support for Gaza. Next stop? The Senate, and, if it passes there, to President Biden’s desk for approval.
Mixed signals: The Biden administration is pushing a bill that could kick TikTok out of the U.S. Politics aside, this move doesn’t make sense — President Biden just joined TikTok for his re-election campaign.
Biden calls and the FCC
Can the FCC’s latest ban on audio deep fakes cut down the flood of unwanted calls? Here’s the news in this short podcast.
With TikTok, Biden & company misses the big picture
The US is inching closer to banning TikTok. But does that stop China from listening in? I have the scoop, in 60 seconds.
Places you're most likely to get COVID - and a way to score free N95 masks
The COVID omicron variant is still spreading. California and Texas are hardest hit, accounting for 11.4 million of the total 74 million cases. Looking for free COVID tests? Avoid these fraudulent sites.
The number of vaccines administered is also rising, but that doesn’t mean you can’t catch COVID. Being vaccinated only lowers the severity of the infection if you do happen to catch it.
Check the mail for this letter about your final IRS stimulus payment
The global pandemic shows no signs of letting up, with millions of people still struggling from furloughs or price increases. If you need to get tested for COVID-19, here’s where you can find at-home tests that are in stock.
As COVID cases increase, so do related scams - What to watch out for
While we are not out of the woods yet regarding the pandemic, people are getting vaccinated and traveling again. With proper precautions, you can see the world while staying safe this summer.
The Delta variant is rising to the top of COVID strains, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidelines accordingly. You can keep track of the spread of the virus with an interactive map provided by the CDC. Tap or click here for more information and tips.
Biden vs. Big Tech: What you need to know
On Friday, President Biden announced a 72-point plan to rein in the power of Big Tech. Here’s what his plan is missing.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Where are all the cicadas? This interactive map tracks Brood X
Few things make President Biden squirm. Apparently, cicadas aren’t one of them. President Biden can be seen in a widely circulated video rather nonchalantly, flicking a crawling Cicadoidea from his neck during a press interview.
Fully-electric Ford F-150 Lightning: Check out all the specs
Electric vehicles have become hugely popular over the last few years. Thanks to companies like Tesla and Ford, it has been proven that EVs can be stylish, useful and fast. The majority of the vehicles available are sedans and city cars. But Ford just unveiled a fully electric version of a classic truck.