LinkedIn is making it harder for people to lie about their work history by letting your real colleagues confirm your actual job experience, and by giving companies better ways to stop imposters from claiming to work there. For anyone job hunting, networking, or checking someone's background before doing business with them, these changes mean profiles become more trustworthy and you'll waste less time on fake connections. Worth knowing: when you update your work history on LinkedIn, you may soon see a prompt asking actual former colleagues to verify those jobs were real.
# A Flock of Problems with Mass Surveillance
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Comma, a company that makes software to help cars drive themselves, is being investigated after two fatal crashes where drivers may have been using unofficial versions of their product. When people modify safety-critical software without proper testing, serious accidents can happen—and this matters because more cars are getting these kinds of automated features every year. Worth knowing: if you own a vehicle with any hands-off driving system, stick with the manufacturer's official updates and be cautious about third-party modifications, no matter how appealing they might sound.
ChatGPT and similar AI chatbots can leak anything you type into them—including your personal information, medical details, or financial data—because what you share isn't kept private the way your doctor's or lawyer's records are. If you're dealing with sensitive matters like health concerns, legal issues, or passwords, it's safer to talk directly to a professional or keep that information offline. Worth knowing: avoid pasting things like your full name, address, or account numbers into any chatbot, and assume anything you type could potentially be seen by others.
Apple has added a clever feature to its Maps app that connects famous US landmarks to podcast episodes from their "Hidden Histories" series, so you can learn the untold stories behind places you recognize. If you enjoy history or like to understand the deeper context of the places you visit—whether in person or virtually—this gives you an engaging way to explore those stories right when you're looking at a location on your phone. You can check if your favorite local landmark has a linked podcast episode by opening Apple Maps and tapping on a notable building or site to see if a "Hidden Histories" guide appears.
DJI's newest action camera, the Osmo 360 II, lets you swap out the lenses yourself instead of sending the whole device away for repairs—a practical feature that saves both money and time. For anyone who uses a camera regularly, being able to replace a scratched lens or upgrade to a different one without buying an entirely new camera makes a real difference to your wallet over time. Worth knowing: before buying any action camera, check whether the manufacturer allows you to replace parts yourself, as this feature isn't yet standard across the industry.
Meta plans to show off brand-new smart glasses at its Connect conference in 2026, and these glasses won't have cameras built in—a shift from what many people worried about when tech companies started adding cameras to eyewear. For people concerned about privacy, this is good news, since it means Meta's glasses won't be recording your surroundings or other people without their knowledge. Worth knowing: if you're curious about this technology, Meta will likely livestream the announcement online, so you can watch from home without attending in person.
Eight Sleep's new Pod 6 is a mattress cover that costs $2,000 and uses heating and cooling technology to adjust your side of the bed's temperature throughout the night. If you struggle with hot flashes, night sweats, or just can't agree with your partner about whether the bedroom should feel like an igloo or a sauna, this gadget learns your sleep patterns and makes automatic adjustments. Worth knowing: you'll need a smartphone app to control it, so ask yourself honestly whether you're comfortable with that kind of tech in your bedroom before spending that much money.
Medicare is considering stricter rules for how doctors get paid when they monitor patients' health remotely using devices like blood pressure cuffs and glucose meters at home. Insurance companies like UnitedHealth and CVS are objecting because the new rules would require these monitoring services to be handled only by doctors' direct employees, not outside contractors, which could make the service more expensive and harder to access. Worth knowing: If you use remote monitoring devices to manage conditions like diabetes or heart disease, pay attention to any changes your doctor mentions about how they track your care, as these payment disputes could eventually affect which services stay available to you.
Discord, a chat platform popular with gamers and communities, is now requiring some users to verify their age through ID checks, though the company says nine out of ten users won't be affected. This matters because if you use Discord to stay connected with hobby groups, family, or friends, you'll want to know whether you'll need to provide personal information—and the company is being vague about which users actually fall into that smaller 10%. Worth knowing: check your Discord settings in the coming weeks to see if a verification prompt appears, and only provide ID information through Discord's official app if it does ask.
# Password Managers vs. Authenticator Apps: What You Need to Know
Password managers store all your login information in one secure place, while authenticator apps generate time-sensitive codes that add an extra security layer—and each has genuine strengths depending on how you use them. For most people over 50, a password manager makes life easier by remembering dozens of passwords so you don't have to, but authenticator apps provide stronger protection against hackers who've stolen your passwords. Worth knowing: you don't have to choose just one—many people use both together, keeping their passwords in a manager and adding authenticator codes for their most important accounts like email and banking.
Apple's latest iPhone update lets you hide or move the audio recording button in iMessages, so you're less likely to accidentally send voice messages when you meant to type. If you've ever been annoyed by fumbling with that button or accidentally recording yourself, this change gives you more control over how your messages work. Worth knowing: you can find this setting in the iMessage preferences on your iPhone, though the exact location might vary slightly depending on your phone model—it's worth exploring the messaging settings if this frustrates you regularly.
