You Might Already Be Able to Disable Read Receipts for Your...
Photo: Nuchylee (Shutterstock)I hate read receipts, especially when they’re forced. There’s no need to tattle on me every time I open a message. And while some platforms like iMessage offer optional read receipts, others—like products from Meta—are permanently enabled. Fortunately, that should be changing on Instagram.Instagram is currently testing the ability to disable read receipts…
You Can Get Surfshark VPN for Less Than $2 a Month...
Image: Surfshark SurfShark’s VPN starter plans are currently 20% off when you use code VPN20 through Nov. 9, so you can get a two-year subscription on sale for $45.60 right now (reg. $56.99) or a three-year subscription for $67.20 (reg. $83.99). Surfshark has 3,200 servers in 65 countries with 256-bit AES encryption, and server speeds…
9 Ways to Make Google Chrome Safer and More Private
Google Chrome’s default settings are (surprise!) far from ideal for those who care about their privacy and security. And if you’re one of those people—but aren’t ready to jump ship to another, less intrusive browser like Brave or Tor—there are some easy ways to adjust your settings to reduce Google’s tracking on Chrome.Here are nine…
Evil Week: How to Watch Free Movies and TV With a...
Welcome to Evil Week, our annual dive into all the slightly sketchy hacks we’d usually refrain from recommending. Want to weasel your way into free drinks, play elaborate mind games, or, er, launder some money? We’ve got all the info you need to be successfully unsavory.It’s frustrating when you discover the show or movie you…
A Lifetime Subscription to AdGuard Is $17 Right Now
Image: AdGuard SoftwareAdGuard is an ad-blocker with built-in privacy and digital safety protections—and a lifetime subscription to their family plan is now on sale for $16.97 (reg. $129.99) through Nov. 9. The family plan covers nine devices and works on iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows. You can block out most, if not all, ad types,…
Don’t Give Up, You Can Re-soften Stale Cookies
Freshly baked cookies are comfort food at its finest, and when stored properly, they should keep their integrity for close to a week. But occasionally, accidents happen. Soft cookies get left out on the table, or forgotten about on the counter, and they go prematurely stale. No one is more disappointed than me by a…
There’s No Reason People Need to Call You on X/Twitter
Screenshot: Jake PetersonI have plenty of ideas for useful features for X (formerly known as Twitter), but audio and video calls aren’t on my list. Unfortunately, they seem to be on Elon Musk’s, as the app now allows users to call one another for some reason. Yay?Maybe I’m just not the Tweep I used to…
You Can Stop Instagram From Tracking You Across Other Sites and...
Image: MetaIt’s tough to use the internet without being tracked, but it’s not impossible. Companies are starting to hand us tools to help, such as Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature and DuckDuckGo’s App Tracking Protection. Even Meta, the company that makes its living on data collection, is now offering you a way to control how…
Kagi Lets You Search the Internet Without Ads (but It Will...
When you think searching the internet, you undoubtedly think of Google (unless you’re the one person who thinks first of Bing). The search giant is ubiquitous because it’s fast, free, and better at what it does than most of its competitors. But not everything about Google is amazing. While it’s technically free to use, you’re…
How to Opt Out of Data Collection by Data Brokers
Photo: Jacob Lund (Shutterstock)Each time you accept the privacy policies and terms of service on any app or website, there’s a chance some of your data is being sold. Information brokers, also known as data brokers, are organizations whose entire business model involves collecting your personal data and selling it to advertisers. This may include…
