Are you getting the speeds you pay for? Use fast.com and speedtest.net to run internet speed tests. (Be careful not to go to the .com version of Speedtest.) Both report your current speeds a little differently, so I like to check ‘em both. If you’re way, way below what you pay for, call your ISP and ask them to fix it.
Handy hidden features on Instagram, X and Facebook
If you’re one Facebook argument away from lighting your social media accounts on fire, I don’t blame you. But before you log out for good, I’ve got a few hidden features that’ll make using your social media accounts stink a little less
Stop video autoplay
- Facebook: Maybe you want to scroll at work undetected or you just prefer the sound of silence. On desktop, disable autoplaying videos under Settings and privacy > Settings > Videos. On mobile, go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Preferences > Media.
- X: On desktop, click More > Settings and privacy > Accessibility, display and languages > Data usage. On mobile, tap your profile picture to find Settings and privacy.
You can’t stop autoplay on Instagram, which is a dang shame — unless it’s one of my vids that pops up!
Love it and list it
- X: Organize people in private or public lists without following them. Maybe you make a list for cooking tips and another for gadget news — whatever floats your boat. Easy.
- Instagram: Sort your saved posts into Collections — just like you do on Pinterest. Create a new collection by tapping and holding the bookmark icon below a post, then tapping the + (plus sign). Enter a name, like “Recipes,” and voila! View your collections by tapping the three lines in the top right of your profile, then Saved.
Pin your DMs
- Instagram: Pin up to three chats to the top of your list for quick access. Just press and hold down on a conversation, then select Pin. No more scrolling to find your besties!
- Messenger: You can pin an individual message in a chat. Super handy for remembering shared addresses or recipes! From a chat, tap and hold the message you want to pin and tap Pin. To see pinned messages in a chat, tap View Pins.
Say ‘shhhh’
If you’ve got a turbo-posting friend you want to see a little less from on Facebook or Instagram, tap the three dots on one of their posts and pick Hide. You’ll see their posts a little less often — without the drama of unfollowing them. You can also choose to Mute your pal altogether on the next screen.
Shake to report
Something not working correctly on Instagram? Don’t throw your phone across the room — shake it! This brings up the option to report a technical error. Pretty clever. FYI, this isn’t the place to report stalkers or abuse. To do that, tap the three dots next to a post or a username.
Smartphone use and your heart
A new report links heavy smartphone use to an increased risk of heart disease, but the real cause might not be what you’d expect.
Extremists are using AI to rebrand Adolf Hitler: The goal is to characterize him as a “misunderstood” figure for a new generation. Over the past month, AI-cloned audio and video clips of Hitler, spewing English versions of his fanatical speeches, have reached millions on social media. The comments? Disturbingly, things like, “Maybe he is NOT the villain.” If you see these posts, report them so platforms can take them down faster.
31M email addresses
Exposed in a Needless Markup Neiman Marcus breach. The retailer’s original report said only 64,472 people were affected. See if yours is one of them at haveibeenpwned.com.
🚨 eBay scam alert: People are buying high-ticket items on eBay, filing returns, then sending back thank-you cards instead of products. Sellers report the scam (with proof, but the return label is on a tiny envelope) and get stuck in an endless appeals process. Find another place to sell your expensive stuff.
Get an unknown call? Type the phone number into Google, Bing or Yahoo in quotation marks for a precise match. Results often include websites, forums or consumer complaint boards where that number may have been reported. While you’re at it, file a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
👁️ Billionaire Larry Ellison’s prediction: He says AI will power a massive surveillance system to monitor all of us. Doorbell cameras, police body cams, dashcams — you name it — will be analyzed to keep everyone in check. If something’s off, the AI will report it to the “appropriate” authority (paywall link). Yikes.
💄 All glammed up and no place to go: TikTok is loaded with people complaining that concealer, fake lashes and overlined lips in your passport photo can lead to big delays if you travel bare-faced (paywall link). You confuse both human and tech scanners. Btw, my passport photo is a publicity shot, and I’m happy to report I never get held up.
Zip it: If your phone rings and someone says, “Can you hear me?” or “Is this [your name]?” hang up. Scammers record your “Yes” to create voice authorizations for bank account access. Bonus points if you report shady numbers to the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker.
🏠 Off the grid: More folks are blurring their homes and businesses on Google Maps. With burglaries and break-ins on the rise, thieves can easily use Maps to scout properties and find the best way in. Protect yourself: Search for your address on Google Maps Street View, click Report a problem in the bottom right, select what you want blurred and answer the questions.
🤬 Crap as far as the eye can see: Only 45 bot accounts on X have racked up over 4 billion views. It’s not for puppy videos; they’re spreading racism, sexual abuse, conspiracy theories and climate disinformation. If you see this crap, report it (steps here).
You spotted a scammer on Facebook: Do your good deed and report the page. Go to the profile, and in the top right corner, click the three dots. Select Find support or report, and then follow the on-screen prompts.
Don’t suffer in silence: If you get scammed, report it. You’ll save someone else from being a victim and leave a paper trail if the crook that scammed you ever gets caught. You can report online scams at the Internet Crime Complaint Center and even share your story on Reddit’s r/scams.
New scam alert: A Boston woman lost $40,000 buying an SUV on Facebook Marketplace. The Carfax report looked legit, and she received a clean title from the licensing agency — smooth sailing for almost three years before the vehicle was seized by police. It was a VIN cloning scam; the SUV was stolen when she bought it. I’ll be writing more about this soon, with ways to stay safe!
If you haven’t so far this year … Get your free credit report. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-FACTACT (1-877-322-8228). And tell everyone you know to stop paying for this!
AI chatbot Perplexity has a new feature: You might like Perplexity if you haven’t tried it already. Its new trick is that you can type in a prompt and it’ll research, write and lay out an entire report. All the teachers just groaned.
600,000 routers
Destroyed in 72 hours by a mysterious hacker. In October 2023, thousands of Windstream internet customers reported their routers had suddenly gone dark. A new security report reveals it was a targeted attack using a single piece of malware anyone can find online. The who and why are both still a mystery.
On Windows, get a detailed report that includes usage, capacity and battery life estimates. Open the command prompt by hitting the Start menu, then typing in cmd or cmd.exe in the Run command box. Press Enter. Now, smarty-pants, type or paste in the following: powercfg /batteryreport