Hey, hello, Monday! Nice to see you, friend! Let’s kick off things with a simple true-or-false statement. Ready? Even when you don’t get a call or text on your phone, hearing or feeling an occasional buzz is perfectly normal. What do you think? You’ll find the answer at the end.

This newsletter is free to you thanks to our sponsors. Incogni got my name out of 87 data-broker sites, and the number of spam calls and phishing emails I receive has dropped dramatically. Click this link now to save 60% and get your personal info removed. So worth the money! — Kim

Nope, you're not paranoid. If you feel like your smartphone and speakers are listening to your private conversations, it's because they really are.

In a now-deleted blog post, Cox Media Group revealed it can (and does) gather information from conversations and use it for targeted ads. They thought they were slick by removing the evidence, but I was able to get all the details. Don't they know once it’s on the internet, it’s there forever?

Now, before you sit back and say, “Oh, Kim, I don’t have Cox, so I’m all good,” Cox got caught listening not only on your phone but your TV, too. The others haven’t been exposed … yet.

Guilty, as charged

In a blog post titled, “It’s True. Your Devices Are Listening to You,” CMG spilled the tea on the tech it uses with advertisers. It was loud and proud, admitting to using voice data to target the exact customer its advertisers were looking for.

CMG's "Active Listening" technology picks up conversations to give local advertisers a weekly list of consumers who might be shopping for a specific product or service. Let's say it hears you talking about needing a bigger car or home. Yep, that's gold right there for advertisers.

CMG's services are available for within a 10- or 20-mile radius, and its advertising clients can "claim" a specific territory.

Wait, really? How?

AI gathers conversations through smartphones, smart TVs and other devices, like smart speakers. Once a target audience is created, CMG delivers ads through "streaming TV, streaming audio, display ads, YouTube, and Google and Bing search."

Stop and think about that reach for a second.

The blog post and related content on CMG's website have been removed, but an archived version still exists. When reached for comment, CMG representatives didn't respond. Shocker.

A listening ear

Who, you may be wondering, are CMG's customers? According to the company's website, its business contains 14 TV stations, including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo and MyNetworkTV affiliates. It also has 52 radio stations, a news bureau in Washington, D.C., and multiple streaming and digital platforms.

Essentially, anyone who advertises on a CMG-owned network can access its “Active Listening” tech.

To get even more Big Brother-y, CMG also installs a tracking pixel on each client's website to "monitor the return on investment (ROI)." Because hey, we all gotta get paid.

Bottom line: If CMG is listening in on your private conversations, others are, too. You’d better believe this kind of tech is standard at this point. Next time someone tells you you're being paranoid about tech companies listening, send them my way.

‘OK, Kim, what can I do about it?’

Good question, friend. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to adjust the settings on your devices. It won’t stop everything, but it’s a start.

I’m as sure as I can be — since it’s true for most of us. The most likely source of your personal data being littered across the web? Data brokers. They're using and selling your information.

Incogni helps scrub your phone numbers, addresses, family members — you name it — from the web and gives you peace of mind to keep data brokers at bay.

Protect yourself: Before the holiday spam madness gets even worse, try Incogni. I did. It took me three minutes to set up.

Get your data off 180+ data brokers and people-search sites automatically with Incogni. They offer a full 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not happy … But I bet you will be.

🕵️‍♂️ Hackers on the prowl: Russian hacking group Star Blizzard is hard at work targeting Americans in academics, as well as defense and government organizations. They’re using everything they can find about you online, then sending over Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox links, pretending to be someone you know. Don’t open any links or files you’re not expecting.

“Let’s go to Earth for vacay!” Jeff Bezos revealed his big dream is for a trillion people to live in huge, cylindrical space colonies built using moon rocks. When we need a break, we’ll head to Maui, Miami, Milan or another earthly destination. Don't pack your spacesuit yet — it’s still a hundred years away.

The Times are rough: Media outlets have axed nearly 2,700 jobs in 2023. Horrible ad market and news fatigue, they say. Big names like The Washington Post and Vox are scaling down, too. With fewer journalists, look for AI reporting the news, complete with its own bias. That’s not going to happen here, no worries.

📺 Cable crackdown: In a 3-2 vote, the FCC is proposing a ban on early termination fees from cable and satellite TV providers. It’s about time. I mean, all it takes to cancel an order is checking a few boxes. There’s also talk of us getting credits back.

🚗 Grand Theft Uber: Neusha Afkami couldn't handle her Uber's slow ride to the airport. Her solution? Toss the driver’s phone out the window, wait for him to fetch it and zoom off in his Chevy Cruz. She even went on a little shopping spree later using his credit card. Yeah, she got nabbed at the airport.

Get your cut of a $25M Apple class-action lawsuit: If you were enrolled in an Apple Family Sharing plan with at least one other person between June 21, 2015, and Jan. 30, 2019; a U.S. resident; and you purchased an app subscription through the Apple App Store during that time, you could get $50 back. I filled out the form.

Practice safe sets: More gyms are offering fancy IV drips, anti-aging tests and blood draws. It costs an extra $90 to $380 a month, but hey, who needs FDA approval when you've got a gym membership, right? Kidding. Check with your doctor first.

Before you go through the work of resetting, check to see if that password is hidden in your browser’s list of saved passwords.

On Google Chrome:

On Apple Safari:

😆 My email password was hacked. That's the third time I've had to rename the dog.

While you're brushing your teeth, waiting for your toast or sipping your first coffee of the day, I deliver the top tech news story and a digital life hack, all within two minutes. No rambling, no fluff — just straight-to-the-point tech talk.

👉 Get my podcasts today!

Zoom, zoom! iPhone 13 and 14 models just got access to Qi2 wireless charging with the iOS 17.2 update. Translation: You can now wirelessly charge at double the speed. Nice charger option if you need one.

The closer: You finally read that article that’s been open in your browser all week. Leave your mouse alone and close the tab with your keyboard. On Windows: Ctrl + W. On a Mac, it’s Cmd + W.

Smartphone smarts: If yours locks after 10 seconds (too fast) or 2 minutes (too long), change that. On iPhone: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and choose a length of time. On Android: Go to Settings > Display and look for a Timeout, Screen Timeout or Sleep option. I recommend 30 seconds.

Maintenance 101: Vents keep your TV cool and prevent overheating. I bet yours are dusty as heck. Before you clean them, unplug your TV. A duster works, but a vacuum is better. Ah‑choo!

📶 Myth, busted: Bars measure signal strength, not quality. You may get clearer calls with fewer bars if you’re on a less-crowded frequency. For consistent service, consider Wi‑Fi calling in areas with spotty reception.

🎄 Calling all budget shoppers! Here are 25 terrific gifts priced from $10 to $50.

Now we’re cooking with gas.

The answer: Ever feel a weird tickle or pulsing from your phone? It's called "phantom phone vibration syndrome," and it’s caused by the constant anticipation of notifications. Our brains get so used to the buzz that we sometimes "feel" it even when our phones are silent.

Do your part and help keep my free newsletter free to you. Click this link to check out Icogni and get 60% off. It’s the best way to stop your name and info from being sold to marketers and spammers.

🤗 Another solid day in the books. I need a favor. The best way for me to grow this newsletter is for you to tell one person to subscribe. Would you do that for me? That would be amazing, just like you! — Kim