Older adults in Tokyo are taking classes to learn how to use smartphones so they don't get left behind as society moves online. Many find the experience confusing—buttons pop up unexpectedly, apps seem to multiply on their own, and basic tasks like ending a call aren't obvious.
Worth knowing: Learning to use a smartphone takes time and patience, and it's completely normal to find it frustrating; many communities now offer free or low-cost classes specifically designed for older learners, so you're not alone if you're struggling with these devices.
Social media platforms like TikTok use powerful computer programs to decide what you see, which means companies can now shape what becomes popular in ways that feel natural but are actually carefully engineered. As these platforms grow more influential in deciding what music, fashion, and ideas catch on, it's worth asking yourself whether you're genuinely enjoying something or if you've been subtly steered toward it by invisible digital mechanics.
Google's new feature lets you read a regular web page on one side of your screen while the AI assistant appears on the other side, so you can compare information or ask questions without losing your place. This is handy for checking facts, getting explanations, or researching topics without constantly switching between windows.
Push notifications on your phone can reveal surprisingly personal information about your messages and daily activities—they pass through Apple or Google's servers where the companies can see them, and deleted notifications can sometimes be recovered by law enforcement using special tools. For anyone who values privacy or has sensitive communications, this matters because even messages from supposedly secure apps like Signal can potentially be exposed if they're not encrypted at every step. You can reduce this risk by turning off notification previews on your lock screen (so the content doesn't show until you unlock your phone) and checking which apps have permission to send notifications in your phone's settings.
Google is removing more unwanted advertisements—over 8 billion last year—by focusing on stopping individual bad ads rather than waiting to shut down entire advertiser accounts. For you, this means fewer scams and misleading health claims cluttering your search results and Gmail, making it safer to browse online without accidentally clicking on something harmful. Worth knowing: if you spot an ad that looks suspicious (especially ones promising miracle cures or investment returns), you can report it directly to Google rather than assuming nothing will be done about it.
A group called Cypurr Collective is hosting fun social events at bars and venues where people can learn practical ways to protect their privacy from big tech companies like Google, all while enjoying music and drinks with friends. For many of us who worry about how much personal information these companies collect, these relaxed gatherings make it easier to understand your options without feeling lectured or overwhelmed by technical jargon. You can search online for "Cypurr Collective" or similar privacy meetup groups in your area to find out when the next Break Up With Google event happens near you.
Canva's AI assistant has just gotten smarter—you can now describe what you want (like "a birthday card with balloons and gold text"), and the AI builds it for you automatically. This means you can create professional-looking designs without needing to learn Canva's tools, which is great if you want to make cards, posters, or social media posts quickly. Worth knowing: the designs it creates are fully editable, so you can still adjust colors, fonts, and text afterward if something doesn't quite match what you had in mind.
Express accidentally left thousands of customers' personal information—including names, addresses, and order details—visible on the internet where anyone could find it, though the company has now fixed the problem. You can…contact Express directly to ask if your data was exposed and whether they plan to send you a notification, since the company hasn't committed to alerting customers yet.
YouTube has just made it possible to completely hide its short videos (called Shorts) from your feed if you find yourself spending too much time watching them—you can now set a limit of zero minutes instead of the previous minimum of 15 minutes. This matters because many people over 50 find these quick, addictive videos eat up their time without realizing it, so having the option to remove them entirely gives you better control over your phone habits. Worth knowing: open the YouTube app on your phone, go to Settings, find "Time management," then "Daily limits," and look for "Shorts feed limit" where you can select zero minutes to turn them off completely.
DeepL, a company famous for translating written text between languages, is now working on technology to translate spoken words in real time during video calls on platforms like Zoom and Teams. For someone who travels, does business internationally, or simply wants to chat with friends and family abroad, this could mean understanding conversations in other languages without needing a human interpreter or struggling through a foreign language.
Apple and Google's app stores are currently offering and even promoting apps that use artificial intelligence to create fake nude images of real people—sometimes labeling them as safe for children to download. These apps have been downloaded nearly half a billion times and generated over $100 million in revenue, even though both companies have clear rules against this kind of sexual content. Worth knowing: if you share photos online or your family members do, be cautious about what personal images you post publicly, as they could potentially be misused by these tools.
Microsoft created a feature called Recall that takes constant screenshots of everything you do on your PC to help you remember your activities, but it originally stored all those pictures and data without any protection—like leaving your diary wide open on a park bench. A security researcher has now found a new way to bypass Microsoft's improved protections, which means the company may need to strengthen its safeguards even further to keep your private information truly private. Worth knowing: if you have a newer Windows 11 PC with Recall, check that it's turned off in your settings unless you actively want to use it, and always make sure your computer is password-protected with Windows Hello.
