[NewYorkPost] Trump set to make $1.25B ‘earnout’ bonus as Trump Media stock hits benchmark
Trump, who owns a majority stake in Trump Media and Technology Group, is due to receive an additional 36 million shares of the company on...
[NewYorkPost] Tesla stock down 4% as Elon Musk’s ailing EV maker prepares to announce earnings
Tesla’s rocky year — plagued by price cuts, recalls and layoffs — continued Monday as shares of Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company dropped more than...
[NewYorkPost] Meta spokesman gets 6-year prison sentence by Russian court after being convicted in absentia
The authorities also outlawed Meta as an extremist organization and blocked Facebook and Instagram in Russia. Read More
[Fox News] Tidy up your tech: Spring-cleaning tips for safeguarding your data
It happens without warning. Suddenly, access to your personal data gets interrupted by a simple hardware failure, nasty virus, cyberattack, software glitch, accidental deletion or human mistake. It’s clearer than ever that our personal data is vulnerable.
As an advocate for privacy and security, and the editor behind the popular CyberGuy Report, which you can subscribe to for free at CyberGuy.com/newsletter, I have always emphasized the importance of personal responsibility when it comes to data security. My top recommendation for protecting your precious memories, critical documents and the mountains of personal data we accumulate is straightforward: utilize a personal drive for backups.
Spring is traditionally a time for cleaning, and this should extend to digital hygiene as well. Each year, I undertake a thorough cleaning of my personal data, making sure to back up documents, family photos and other irreplaceable items. There’s nothing quite like the peace of mind that comes from having a physical backup, which places control firmly in your hands, irrespective of whether you use a Mac, PC or even a Chromebook.
One of my favorite tools for this task is the WD Portable Drive, which offers 2 terabytes of storage. It easily connects to your device via SuperSpeed USB 3.0, ensuring quick and efficient data transfer and is fully compatible with Chromebook. A reliable drive like this is a must-have; I use another similar WD model for my MacBook and PC.
MORE: BEST DESKTOP COMPUTERS FOR 2024
In addition to regular ongoing backups either on the cloud or another drive, I use this WD drive that plugs into your Mac, PC or Chromebook as an extra copy of my important data that can be disconnected and kept in a safe place away from hackers and other threats.
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When deciding what to back up from your computer, it’s crucial to prioritize documents, files and memories that are important and irreplaceable. Here’s a comprehensive list to consider.
1) Personal documents: Include items like birth certificates, passports, social security cards, marriage certificates, wills and other legal documents that could be difficult or time-consuming to replace.
2) Financial records: This category should cover bank statements, tax returns, investment records and other financial documents that are essential for personal record-keeping and legal compliance.
3) Photos and videos: Family photos, vacation videos, special events like weddings or graduations and other personal memories that cannot be recreated.
4) Work and educational documents: If you use your computer for work or school, ensure you back up important projects, research papers, presentations and related correspondence.
5) Emails: Some emails might contain important information, agreements or attachments that you may need to refer back to. Consider backing up important emails or archiving them.
6) Contacts: A backup of your digital address book can save you a lot of trouble in case you lose access to your devices.
7) Music and media collections: For those who collect music, movies and books digitally, backing up these files ensures you don’t lose your collection.
8) Software and app data: Back up settings and data for apps that you use frequently, especially if they help manage your schedule, finances or health.
9) Website bookmarks: If you rely on bookmarks to navigate the internet efficiently, backing them up can save time if you need to restore or switch to a new device.
10) Game saves and profiles: If you’re a gamer, backing up your game saves and profiles can prevent loss of progress in case of system failure.
11) Creative works: Include writings, artwork, design files, coding projects or any other personal or professional creative work.
The reality of digital threats, whether from ransomware attacks, viruses or even technical glitches in the cloud, is not a matter of “if” but “when.” By maintaining a physical backup of your most crucial data, you ensure that in the event of a digital catastrophe, what matters most remains safe in your hands.
Remember, safeguarding your digital life with a reliable physical backup isn’t just a precaution, it’s a necessity. This spring, take the time to protect yourself from potential future data disasters. Unplug your backup drive and store it in a safe place. It’s a simple step that could save you a lot of heartaches.
What’s your “data disaster” story and what lessons did you learn about digital backups from it? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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[NewYorkPost] TikTok vows to fight ‘unconstitutional’ ban after House passes bill
The GOP-led House passed a bill over the weekend that requires ByteDance, the Beijing-based tech company, to sell its stake in the US-based business. Read...
[NewYorkPost] Microsoft releases ‘creepy’ video of the Mona Lisa rapping: ‘If only Da Vinci could witness this’
Mona Lisa is brushing up on her rap skills. Read More
[Fox News] The troubling truth about our country’s recycling programs
Imagine diligently separating your recyclables, placing them into the green bin as instructed, and then discovering it’s all for naught. That’s the frustrating reality a Redditor faced, sparking a conversation on r/Apartmentliving about the disheartening state of recycling in their complex. The green dumpster was just a facade, and the company didn’t even offer residential recycling. It begs the question: Is anyone else’s complex out there lying about something so obvious?
This isn’t an isolated incident. Across the nation, renters find themselves handcuffed by landlords who block eco-friendly practices like gardening or air-drying laundry. Yet, there’s hope. In the U.S., 74 million people live under homeowners associations where there’s room to navigate or even alter the rules for the betterment of the community.
The discourse on Reddit resonates with many who share similar struggles. One user lamented their building’s failed recycling attempt due to contamination, and another mentioned the absence of recycling services altogether, leaving the responsibility on individuals to transport recyclables to centers.
MORE: IS THIS TECHNOLOGY THE ANSWER TO CLEANING UP OUR OCEAN’S PLASTIC PROBLEM?
In Washington, D.C., a report by The Recycling Partnership sheds light on the dire state of U.S. residential recycling. A mere 21% of recyclables actually get recycled. The report, “State of Recycling: Present and Future of Residential Recycling in the U.S.,” reveals the gap between current practices and the five pillars of an efficient recycling system. It’s a call to action for policymakers, companies and communities to bridge these gaps.
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Under-recycled materials: A staggering 76% of recyclables end up in the trash at home. Only 73% of households have recycling access, with a significant disparity between single-family (85%) and multifamily homes (37%). Participation is low, with only 43% of households recycling, and even then not to full potential.
State-by-state disparities: Some states like Alabama and Mississippi recycle less than 10%, while others like California and New York exceed 30%. The report suggests that extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies could elevate recycling rates significantly.
The million-ton loss: Eleven states, including some with high recycling rates, lose over a million tons of recyclables each year. Local investment solutions are crucial for revamping the recycling infrastructure.
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The Recycling Partnership’s Chief System Optimization Officer, Cody Marshall, emphasizes the need for comprehensive action. Investing in access to recycling services and improving communication can lead to substantial progress. The report urges:
Policymakers: Adopt EPR to fund recycling improvements.
Companies: Design recyclable packaging and invest in closing the system’s gaps.
Community leaders: Use the report’s data to enhance recycling efforts through education and engagement.
The report is an urgent call for action. Systemic change is a slow process, but the road map is clear. It’s time for concerted efforts to ensure recycling fulfills its role in waste reduction and resource conservation.
The stories shared by individuals on platforms like Reddit aren’t just tales of frustration; they’re a rallying cry for change. From the deceptive green dumpsters to the stark disparities in recycling access, the issues are as real as they are widespread. But there’s a silver lining – the collective voice of communities and the actionable insights from reports like The Recycling Partnership’s are powerful catalysts for change. It’s a reminder that every effort counts, and together, we can turn the tide on the recycling conundrum we find ourselves in.
What changes do you think are necessary to make a real impact as far as recycling in this country? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
[NewYorkPost] TikTok raises free speech concerns on bill passed by US House that may ban app
TikTok on Sunday raised free speech concerns about a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would ban the popular social media app...
[Fox News] 5 great tips for planning your next travel getaway
Are you gearing up for your next big adventure but dreading the daunting task of planning? Worry not. We’ve got the ultimate travel toolkit to make organizing your journey a total breeze.
From finding the best flight deals with Kayak to snagging that perfect window seat via ExpertFlyer, we’re diving into the top travel resources that savvy globetrotters swear by.
So buckle up, and let’s explore how these five great tech tools can turn your travel woes into wows.
If flying either domestically or internationally, Kayak is an excellent site to search for the cheapest flight deals. With the exception of airlines such as Southwest, Kayak searches tons of airlines for the cheapest flight based on specific or flexible dates. This is especially helpful if you want to compare costs and amenities across multiple airlines, hotels and rental car companies.
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Additionally, they offer “hacker fares,” which help you combine flights from different airlines to create your ideal journey. The only hitch is that you won’t make the final booking on its website. Kayak will guide you to a third-party website, such as Expedia or the airline itself, to book the flight, car or hotel room.
MORE: THE BEST TRAVEL GEAR FOR 2024
Flying? Any seasoned traveler knows that the seat you pick for your flight can determine how your vacation begins and ends. It can either be the most relaxing flight or a complete nightmare. If you want to beat other travelers on your flight for the best seat on the plane, check out ExpertFlyer.
Whether you’ve booked online, offline with a travel agent or directly through the airline, the free account lets you set an alert for a specific seat option (window seat, anyone?). Once you receive the alert, you can change your seat assignment to your preferred seat.
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If you’re more interested in taking your vacation via car, motorcycle, or RV, Roadtrippers can help you can help you create the journey by populating fun stops between your departure and destination location. Compatible and accessible across multiple devices, you can plan your trip on your desktop and take it on the road with you on your phone or tablet.
For RV drivers, the Roadtrippers Premium account can give you RV-specific GPS navigation, which includes turn-by-turn directions appropriate for your RV. You get 3 stops for free or 150 stops with the Roadtrippers Premium. The app is available on iOS and Android.
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Most travelers tend to book their accommodations as soon as their flights or train tickets are booked. However, even the best-laid plans go haywire in some situations, and you are left looking for a hotel room at the last minute.
Whether you’re dealing with an overbooked hotel or a misleading accommodation listing, HotelTonight can help you find discounted rooms the same day at 1,000 properties worldwide. The app is available on iOS and Android.
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While used frequently by many people daily to navigate cross-city traffic, Google Maps boasts new updates that make travel planning and sharing easier. It is available on iOS and Android.
Discoverable lists: Now, you can aggregate lists from top travel and city sites such as Lonely Planet, Open Table and The New York Times. Starting with select cities in the U.S. and Canada, you can search for a curated list of recommendations from others who know the city well. There are also lists based on places other users are interested in or love on Maps. You can search for top, trending and gem restaurant lists.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
List customization: Go ahead and compile your recommendations from a variety of different sources, such as social media, so those you share your list with know why you picked a specific place. You can also choose how the list is ordered so you can arrange it by chronology or preference.
Understand better with AI: Ever wish you could get more details while browsing specific restaurant reviews or photos? Now you can with artificial intelligence, which can do things like help you identify the name of a dish or price — making for a more immersive experience.
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With so many options and so little time, summer vacation planning can feel like a full-time job. New tech, however, can truly take the guesswork out of the planning. In fact, it can be downright fun. Whether you are traveling by plane or car, summer vacation planning might be as fun as the trip itself.
What type of traveler are you? Do you like to plan months in advance or the week of the trip? How do you take the stress out of travel planning? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter
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Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
[Fox News] Can AI help someone stage a fake kidnapping scam against you or your family?
You may feel confident in your ability to avoid becoming a victim of cyber scams. You know what to look for, and you won’t let someone fool you.
Then you receive a phone call from your son, which is unusual because he rarely calls. You hear a shout and sounds resembling a scuffle, making you take immediate notice. Suddenly, you hear a voice that you are absolutely certain is your son, screaming for help. When the alleged kidnappers come on the line and demand money to keep your son safe, you are sure that everything is real because you heard his voice.
Unfortunately, scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic the voices of people, potentially turning these fake voices into things like kidnapping scams. This particular scam seems to be rare, but it’s happening.
Such fake emergency scams occur frequently enough that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provided warnings and examples for consumers. Hard numbers that indicate the frequency of these calls aren’t readily available, though, especially for calls known to make use of AI.
Such scams are certainly possible with current AI technology. Fake video and audio of politicians and other famous people are appearing with regularity. Aided by AI, these clips are frighteningly believable.
You may recall the incident in late 2023 involving a fake dental plan advertisement that featured Tom Hanks. AI technology created the video. Hanks had to make a social media post calling out the fake advertisement.
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The AI technology creates a fake by analyzing a sampling of an audio clip of the person it wants to mimic. It uses its ability to interpret incredible amounts of data to take note of multiple characteristics of the person’s voice, allowing it to make a highly realistic fake.
Once the AI is able to create the fake audio, programmers then tell it what to say, creating a personalized message designed to sell dental plans or to convince you that your loved one is in trouble with kidnappers.
Some AI programmers that use the fake audio for helpful purposes — such as for allowing people with medical problems like ALS to regain their “speech” — claim they can mimic a voice with as little as a few minutes of audio clips. However, the more audio that’s available, the more realistic the mimicked voice should sound. Twenty minutes of audio is far better than three, for example.
As AI’s capabilities continue to expand at breakneck speed, you can expect the time requirements to shrink in future years.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
MORE: HOW TO GUARD AGAINST BRUSHING SCAMS
Realistically, the vast majority of people don’t have to worry about a fake kidnapping scheme that originates from AI-generated audio. If your loved one has a lot of video and audio on social media, though, the scammers may be able to find enough source audio to create a realistic fake.
Even though AI makes this type of scam easier to perform, the setup process still remains too time-consuming for most scammers. After all, scammers in this type of scheme are relying on your rapidly expanding fear at receiving this type of call to cause you to miss obvious clues that would tell you it’s a fake.
The scammers may simply have a random child scream and sob uncontrollably, while allowing you to rapidly jump to the conclusion that it’s your child. This is far easier than using AI to try to source and generate audio … at least for now.
MORE: HOW SCAMMERS USE AI TOOLS TO FILE PERFECT-LOOKING TAX RETURNS IN YOUR NAME
Even though the scammers try to gain the upper hand with the suddenness of the fake kidnapping call and by catching you off guard, you have some steps you can take before and after you receive this type of call to prepare and protect yourself.
1. Ask your loved ones to keep you informed about trips: Fake kidnappers may try to convince you that the abduction is taking place outside your city. However, if you know that your loved one did not leave town, you can be confident that the call is probably a fake.
2. Set up a safe word or phrase: Set up a safe word that your loved ones should use if they ever are calling you because of a dangerous situation or because they are under duress. A scammer is not going to know this safe word. If you don’t hear the safe word, you know it’s probably a fake call.
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3. Use privacy settings on social media: Ask your family members to limit who can see their social media posts. This would make it harder for a scammer to obtain source audio that’s usable in a fake kidnapping audio call. For more information on maintaining and protecting your online privacy, click here.
4. Try to text your loved one: Either during or immediately after the call, send a text message to your loved one without telling the caller. Ask your loved one to text you back immediately, so you can converse without tipping off the scammers. If you receive a text back, you can be confident the call is a fake. Consider creating a code word that you can use with the entire family. When you send this code word in a text, everyone knows it’s a serious situation that requires an immediate response.
5. Stay calm and think things through: Finally, although it is incredibly difficult to stay calm when you receive this kind of call, it’s important to keep thinking clearly. Do not panic. Regardless of whether it’s a real call or a scam call, panicking is never going to help. Listen for clues that make it obvious the call is a scam. Try to gather some information that can help you make a clear-headed judgment about the legitimacy of the call.
As AI continues to become more readily available and gains sophistication, scammers will be ready to take advantage of it. Perhaps by then, AI will even the playing field by coming up with ways to help us protect ourselves. Until then, taking steps to protect your family, such as by setting up a safe word, can give you some peace of mind.
Are you concerned about how scammers may take advantage of AI to create new scams? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter
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Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.