Consumer Tech Update

Here’s something to think about. If you don’t lock down your home’s Wi-Fi network, you could be charged with a crime you didn’t commit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senator Marco Rubio is proposing a bill that could rein in the power of Big Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you fall victim to a scammer who is using a payment app, you’re out of luck. There are no rules or laws to protect you and get your money back once the money goes out of your account and into somebody else's. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The most optimistic thing you can say about Instagram these days is that it’s in a slump. But to many, Instagram is now boring. It has too many influencers — and not enough people to be influenced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have a Samsung smartphone, you should know about the phone's pre-installed apps that are spying on you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Texas and a few other states want customers to enroll their Nest and other smart thermostats in a program to help reduce power consumption. Texas was unprepared for this year’s record cold winter and they’re not ready for summer’s heatwave, either. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most Windows 10 users don't know there's a way to protect their computer's files against ransomware. It's not a 100% guarantee, but it can work wonders in case of an emergency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You always need to carry some form of ID while traveling. Luckily, you can easily set up a digital backup. Here's what to do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weeks ago, I told you that the Bank of England's chief said anyone who invests in cryptocurrency should be prepared to lose it all. Now, I have a startling follow-up story. Listen to this! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the commercials, people happily discover lost keys or purses thanks to their Apple AirTag. But these little devices have quickly been put to a darker use: tracking people without their knowledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon Prime Day is now less than a week away. When shopping on Amazon, most of us check out the reviews to find out how good a product is. Unfortunately, no one can trust Amazon’s customer product reviews. Here's why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House will require all cryptocurrency transfers of $10,000 or more to be reported for tax purposes. Here's the full story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In May, I asked my listeners and readers to share their thoughts on powerful tech companies. Of over 6,000 respondents, 86% said they're fed up with Big Tech. So is Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you visit a new website, there's a good chance you’ll be asked to accept the website’s cookies. Most people say yes ... but interestingly enough, most people don’t even know what they're agreeing to. Here's how the cookie crumbles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you know it or not, your iPhone has magnets inside. But the iPhone 12 has one that's so powerful that it could affect your heart. You could be in danger and not even know it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you get an email promising to protect your company from a ransomware attack like the one that brought down the Colonial Pipeline, don't open it! It's just a Trojan Horse trying to sneak ransomware into your computer. Here's how this nasty scheme works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone's vulnerable to the dangers of ransomware. On Wednesday, we learned that 60 bipartisan members of Congress were locked out of constituent data for weeks. Here's the full story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of my tech updates have focused on the exploding epidemic of ransomware attacks. And now the White House is saying exactly what I’ve been saying: It’s up to private businesses, large and small, to ramp up their own cybersecurity to protect America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes government operations are kept secret so that our adversaries don’t know our full capabilities. But yesterday, the FBI and the Department of Justice proved to the world that Bitcoin transactions are no longer guaranteed to be either untraceable or unrecoverable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Think you’ve seen it all with Facebook’s never-ending attempts to market your personal information? Here's a brand new doozy you've got to hear about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices