Meta is launching a new private chat feature where conversations with their AI assistant aren't saved anywhere and are encrypted so that even Meta employees can't read them. For people concerned about their privacy online—whether it's keeping health questions or personal matters confidential—this means your chat history won't be stored on company servers or used to build a profile about you. Worth knowing: check whether the apps you already use for messaging offer similar private modes, and remember that truly private conversations only work if you're using the right setting each time you chat.
WhatsApp is adding a private chat feature where you can talk directly with Meta's AI assistant, and these conversations will be completely private—not even Meta can read them. This gives you a way to ask questions or get help from AI without worrying about your personal chats being stored or reviewed by the company.
WhatsApp is letting you have private conversations with its AI assistant that don't get saved or recorded, similar to how you might have a confidential chat you'd rather not keep a record of. A security expert warns this could be risky because if something goes wrong—like bad advice or misleading information—there's no trace of what happened to help sort it out.
Meta's new smart glasses with built-in cameras are selling well, even though people worry about being secretly recorded in public places. For someone your age, this matters because these glasses could become as common as regular specs, changing how much privacy you have when you're out and about. Worth knowing: if you see someone wearing glasses that look slightly bulkier than normal or have a visible camera lens, they may be recording—so you can politely ask before having a sensitive conversation nearby.
Instagram promised to give its users private, encrypted messages for safety, but last week the company quietly shut down that feature because hardly anyone used it—largely because the company made turning it on so complicated that most people never even knew it existed. For those of us who value privacy in our conversations, this is a letdown: Meta is essentially saying the technical challenge was too hard rather than making encryption the standard, as they'd promised years ago. Worth knowing: if privacy matters to you when messaging online, WhatsApp (which is owned by the same company) actually does offer built-in encryption, though you might want to ask your tech-savvy grandchildren to help you understand what privacy settings look like on the platforms you use most.
Meta has added an AI assistant to Threads that you can ask questions, but the company won't let you block it from your account—a decision that's frustrating users who want control over what appears in their feeds. For anyone on Threads, this means you could see Meta's AI pop up in conversations whether you want it there or not, similar to how pop-ups or ads can feel intrusive. Worth knowing: if you find the AI account annoying, you can mute it instead of blocking it, though that's not quite the same control you might expect.
Two brothers who worked for a US government contractor reportedly deleted 96 databases containing sensitive government information within minutes of being fired, causing significant damage before their access could be shut down. This incident highlights why companies immediately cut off computer access when letting workers go—it's a basic safety measure to prevent angry or disgruntled employees from causing harm to important systems. Worth knowing: If you're in a position where you manage staff or work in HR, make sure your organization removes access to all computer systems on the same day someone is fired, ideally before they're told.
Apple and Google have finally made text messages between iPhones and Android phones secure and private—neither the companies nor your phone carrier can now read what you're sending to each other. This matters because millions of people message across these two phone types every day, and until now those conversations weren't properly protected, even though they should have been. Worth knowing: this feature is rolling out gradually and depends on your phone carrier supporting it, so you may not have it immediately—check your Messages app settings, and if it's not there yet, it will likely arrive soon.
Indigo is a new app that lets you post messages to multiple social networks at once—like Mastodon and Bluesky—instead of having to update each one separately. You can see all your friends' posts from different platforms in one place, which saves time and keeps you from feeling scattered across too many apps.
Healthcare organizations are bombarding patients with so many text messages, emails, and app notifications that people are simply ignoring them all—missing important appointment reminders and health information. Worth knowing: if you find yourself deleting messages from your doctor's office without reading them, you're not alone, and it might be worth asking your healthcare provider to consolidate their communications into one or two trusted channels instead.
A company called Instructure, which runs Canvas (the learning platform used by many colleges), has paid criminals who stole student information to delete what they took and stop attacking the system. For anyone with family in college or working at a university, this means the stolen personal details should now be gone, though it's a reminder to keep an eye on accounts and credit reports for any suspicious activity.
# Android and iPhone Texts Are Finally Getting Better Security
Google and Apple have agreed to encrypt text messages sent between Android phones and iPhones, which means your private conversations will be much harder for outsiders to read. You can look forward to seeing a lock icon appear on your text threads when this protection kicks in, letting you know your messages are truly private.
