Get your loved one’s military honors: My dad served during the Korean War. I requested copies of his medals and service records, and I’m so glad I did. The National Archives website lets you easily request a family member’s service records and medals. Here’s how.
Stay informed, not overwhelmed: How to filter war content from your social media feed
With the intense war unfolding in Israel and Gaza, I bet your social media feed is loaded with photos and videos that can be so very difficult to stomach. From heart-wrenching scenes of hostage situations, beheadings, murders, bombings and other grim realities of war, it’s everywhere.
We all want to know what’s going on, no doubt. Many of these social media posts fill the void of official updates and reveal the brutalities of conflict. But — and this is a big BUT — not everything you see online is the real deal. Some content might be doctored or taken out of context and violate those depicted’s privacy and human rights.
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok aim to keep you glued to the screen and keep you scrolling and seeing these images. If you want to take control of your feeds, I put together this quick list to help you.
Don’t let videos play automatically.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Select Settings & privacy, then Settings.
- Tap Media in the left menu.
- Tap the dropdown menu next to Auto-Play Videos and select Off.
Learn how to turn off autoplay videos on your iPhone or Android.
Adjust your sensitive content settings.
- Tap your profile picture. In the upper right corner, tap the three horizontal lines.
- Go to Settings and privacy > Suggested content > Sensitive content.
- Choose Less.
TikTok
“Restricted Mode” limits graphic videos on the For You Page.
This genius iPhone trick will save you time texting
It is hard to imagine that the world record for typing the alphabet on a mobile phone is only 3.5 seconds. Taking that one step further, a Brazilian teen set a new Guinness World Record for fastest texter in 2014 when he typed a 25-word message in under 19 seconds.
Deepfake AI Gaza horror
Are the images you’re seeing of the Israel-Hamas war real? Here’s what you need to know.
165% surge
In exterminator searches in the U.S., compared to 2023. Across the country, people are waging war with pests. Three times as many Yelp searches for cockroach exterminators have been completed than at this time last year. According to Yelp, California has the biggest rat problem. Bet you thought it was New York.
Cybersecurity experts warn of impending attacks - Do this now to prepare
In the very first days that the Russia Ukraine war started, I warned you about 10 Russia-Ukraine cons to expect. We’re already seeing evidence of those scams in action. Be sure you’re keeping your digital guard up.
True or False: War with Russia could lead to draft
Social media is rife with misinformation, especially during historical events and times of crisis. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a prime example, with misleading and false posts circulating.
Recent posts surrounding the conflict relate to nuclear retaliation, Russian paratroopers landing in Ukraine and secret U.S. Biolabs. Is there truth to any of these stories? Tap or click here to check out our report.
How the BBC is getting real news into Russia is fascinating
In most parts of the world, you can turn on any news network to get a glimpse of the devastation from Russia’s continued invasion of neighboring Ukraine. If you live in Russia, that’s not the case.
Russian citizens get their information only from state-run news outlets, which paints a very different picture from what’s actually happening. Vladimir Putin is hiding details of his military’s brutality in Ukraine from his people. Tap or click here to spot fake Russian social media accounts and posts.
Scam alert: How to spot fake Ukrainian aid sites before you donate
Scammers have no shame in exploiting devastating events, natural disasters or human tragedies. Whether it’s the global pandemic or tornados ravaging the Midwest, scammers are always on the lookout for unsuspecting targets.
10 things (aside from gas) that will get more expensive during the Russian-Ukrainian war
Millions worldwide looked on in horror as Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, the most significant attack in Europe since World War II. The invasion has continued to grow, and there is no clear answer on how long the war will continue. Tap or click here to secure your tech and prepare for cyberattacks.
The internet is buzzing about 'murder hornets' - what you need to know
Our civilization went into the year 2020 thinking we’d be able to see our way through the new decade clearly. Now, most people can’t wait for 2020 to be hindsight.
Within the span of a few short months, war nearly broke out with Iran, the Pentagon officially declassified UFO footage and a global pandemic shut down nearly all aspects of our normal lives. It’s no wonder so many of us are sick to our stomachs with anxiety. Tap or click here to see 5 apps that can help you cope with stress.