Ahoy, Thursday! 🚢 “SOS” is a maritime term that’s made its way into our tech, like the iPhone’s Emergency SOS mode. Today’s trivia: What does “SOS” stand for? Is it Save Our Ship, Sink Our Ship, Save Our Souls or nothing at all? Answer at the end, as always!

⭐ Have you referred a pal to my free newsletters yet? I want YOU to be the one who wins a $1,200 Windows or Mac laptop! Get your sharing link at the bottom. Good luck! — Kim

Facebook Marketplace is a treasure trove for secondhand electronics, furniture and collectibles. Scroll past the old bikes and baby clothes, and you'll be shocked at what’s “hidden” in plain sight.

Things that used to be sold only on the dark web and other shady corners of the internet are popping up on Facebook in droves. You can get your hands on everything from Ozempic and illegal drugs to used undies.

A one-stop shop for oddities

With over a billion active users and an easy payment system, Facebook Marketplace is a go-to spot for those who dwell (and sell) in the shadows. A search for "mushrooms" will turn up a bunch of listings — and not for the kind of mushrooms you cook with.

One psychedelic mushroom dealer runs Facebook Marketplace ads showing various strains and what's in stock. Don’t put those on your pizza.

You'll find plenty of ads there for worn lingerie, too. A woman who earns quite a bit from selling used underwear, nude photos and explicit videos says she simply posts a photo of herself in the underwear listing — and her potential clients get the hint.

Pedaling drugs and selling nude photos aren’t allowed on Facebook, of course. Parent company Meta claims it closely monitors things to identify and remove sketchy ads, and yet … all these sellers have to do is get a little creative.

Meanwhile, on Craigslist

Breeze through the site's best-of-craigslist postings and you'll see Facebook isn't the only one. One ad requests help for a “serious job” — recovering a hidden obelisk. The obelisk hunter is willing to pay over $100. Yeah, I’m gonna pass.

If you're looking for an RV, how about a haunted 1988 Winnebago LeSharo? The previous owner "killed her husband and traveled in it before being caught and imprisoned." Oh, and the husband, Gerald, "haunts the back table and likes to have morning coffee with whoever is around." Wonder if he takes cream and sugar.

Swap safely

Common sense advice: Don’t buy anything illegal online. Beyond that …

✅ You can find some pretty dang good deals online. My favorite price is free. Check out this guide to getting free stuff around your neighborhood.

Pas d'iPhone: The French government stopped sales of the iPhone 12, saying it emits too much radiation to meet EU standards. The radiation falls within legal limits in a bag or jacket, but it's too high when held in a hand or tucked into a pants pocket. Apple's response: Nope, everything’s fine.

Please hold: Hackers pulled off a massive MGM Resorts cyberattack the old-fashioned way — through social engineering. The ALPVH ransomware group says they went to LinkedIn, found a current employee to impersonate and called the help desk. It took about 10 minutes to get access to the system. So far, MGM refuses to pay the ransom, but the resorts and gambling operations are back up.

#⃣️ Follow the money: There's a new hashtag spreading on health influencer social media: #safetyofaspartame. Dietitians are posting that World Health Organization warnings about artificial sweeteners are simply clickbait. Here's the thing: These videos were paid for by the American Beverage lobbying group. Nope, many of the accounts didn't make that clear.

Update your PC: The latest Microsoft patch fixes two zero-day vulnerabilities — aka hackers are exploiting them right now. If you're not getting my Tech Hacks newsletter, sign up. I wrote about that in yesterday's afternoon edition, just sayin’.

It will boost sales: Have a retail site? Shopify is adding a slick new feature. Customers who have Amazon Prime can check out that way — meaning they get perks like fast, free shipping and easy returns from your website, too.

🚀 Show me the aliens: Scientists discovered a planet eight times the size of Earth about 120 light-years away that could have the right conditions to support life. K2-18b emits gases produced only by living organisms here on Earth.

This, too, shall pass: A video of a woman explaining how she swallowed an AirPod has gone viral on TikTok. Tanna from Utah ran into a friend, took out an earbud to hear better, then popped it in her mouth, thinking it was a vitamin. She’s far from the first person to do this. In 2021, a woman mixed up her AirPods and an ibuprofen.

Got a few spare minutes during your drive? Or maybe you're chilling at home? Sounds like the perfect time to tune in to The Kim Komando Show podcast!

I keep it real, breaking down the latest tech trends, cybersecurity tips and gadget reviews into snack-sized, easy-to-understand episodes.

👉 Download an episode today!

I hate paying for things we don’t use. That’s why I cancel apps and streaming services I know my husband, Barry, isn’t using … then, a few months later, “Kim, did you cancel [fill-in-the-blank]?” Sure did.

So, what’s worth paying for? It depends! Here’s a quick list of common app subscription types to get you thinking.

What’s not worth paying for?

This is subjective, but a few rules apply to just about everyone.

✅ Keep going: See how to find and cancel all the apps you pay for. Sorry, can’t fit all the steps here!

When you can’t figure out what you’ve been humming all day, grab your phone. These tricks also work when a song comes on and its name is stuck on the tip of your tongue.

🎤 Need a fun game after everyone’s had a margarita? At-home karaoke is better because you won’t wonder how many people saw you sing the next day.

A virtual private network, or VPN, is a great place to start. A VPN encrypts your data and hides your IP address, giving you an extra layer of protection from snoops, advertisers and Big Tech companies looking to profit off you.

Some VPNs slow your connection or, worse, track your internet activity and compromise your security. Not ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN’s servers run on RAM, or volatile memory, that’s cleared each time the server is reset — meaning they don’t save your data. You can connect in just one click from a Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, iPad, you name it.

🚨 Deal alert: Get an extra THREE months free since you subscribe to my newsletter.

This meme is un-bee-lievable!

🆘 The answer: Nothing at all. SOS is a Morse code distress signal. The original version used by the British was “CQD” ("seeking you, distress" or "all stations, distress”). The call was standardized to the simpler “SOS” in 1906 at the International Telegraphic Radio Conference.

These days, kids use it to express their dismay in a funny way. To “Harry Styles just got a new girlfriend,” one might reply, “SOS noooooo!”

😎 Hey, look, now you’ll understand the kids in your life. Tech news and a Gen Z translator all in one email? You’re welcome! Forward this email to a few friends and encourage them to sign up. Thank you! — Kim