A very happy Wednesday to you, friend! We’re getting nerdy today with trivia. What does the “P” in HTTP stand for? Is it … A.) Protocol, B.) Platform, C.) Portal or D.) Princess? Answer’s down at the bottom!

You really need help from today’s sponsor, Incogni. They do all the frustrating work to remove your personal data and contact info from the dark web and creepy, invasive data-broker sites. Get 60% off right now using my special link. Btw, if you buy, I get no kickbacks or residuals. I love not getting any more spam calls or texts. You will, too! — Kim

When I shared my tip on opting out of the Transportation Security Administration’s new facial recognition tech at airports the other week, I got a ton of questions. First and foremost, though, a lot of you said, “I didn’t know I could do that.”

You can and you should (steps below). But your face isn’t the only data metric the government collects about you. Here are a few things we know they know.

What you look like and where you are

Many other places use facial recognition, like grocery stores, banks, sports and concert venues. I’m pretty sure you’ve gone to at least one of those in the past year.

Government AI tools add pictures you’ve shared on social media to a facial-recognition database that’s then paired with CCTV cameras everywhere. This tech can pinpoint your location, associations and activities with creepy precision.

Who you’re talking to (and what you’re saying)

After 9/11, Congress enabled warrantless monitoring of foreign communications. The National Security Agency (NSA) exploits a loophole to conduct mass surveillance of Americans, too.

They copy some info directly from fiber-optic cables (crazy, right?) and get other stuff from companies like Google. They also have access to real-time internet activity with a “secret” program called XKeyscore.

What you’re posting and who you’re following

The government monitors Facebook, X, Instagram and all the rest. Even if your account is private, the government can ask companies for access. Remember, friend: What you post on social media is out there forever.

What you’re buying and browsing

Data brokers buy info from your internet service provider, Big Tech companies and even smart appliance manufacturers. Then, they package it up and sell it to advertisers — and the U.S. government. This is another reason to get your personal information out of all these invasive databases.

Block prying spies

• Opt out at the airport: Stand away from the camera, present your ID, and say something like, “I opt out of biometrics. I want the standard verification process.” Use the Mobile Passport Control app to skip the face scan kiosk lines coming back into the U.S. (iOS, Android).
• VPN-visible browsing: A virtual private network encrypts your online activity so no one can see what you’re doing (including your ISP). My pick is ExpressVPN.*
• Encrypt it real good: End-to-end encryption ensures only you and your recipient can see your messages. Steps (and more tips) on my site here.

Share this with someone who may not know how much they’re putting out there. Let’s protect our data together.

You know by now that your info could be for sale anywhere on the web. That’s why I’m so excited about this new, awesome feature from my privacy and identity theft protection pick, Incogni. You can now remove your personal info from scummy people-search sites and data brokers’ databases using:

• 3 email addresses
• 3 physical addresses
• 3 phone numbers

Even just putting in my current cell number and primary email address has cut those spammy texts and calls down to zero. Now, Incogni will have even more ammo to find profiles that contain bits and pieces of my info.

Already have an account? Go to your Incogni dashboard and add your extra contact points. Yep, this huge upgrade is free for you. If you’re new to Incogni, it’s the perfect time to sign up.

🚨 $400K MIA: A Silicon Valley woman nearly lost her down payment when a scammer infiltrated the email thread between her and her real estate broker. They convinced her to wire the money to a new account. It took banks five months to get it back. If you’re buying, talk through the wire instructions upfront with your broker, and when it’s time to send, call to confirm the details.

Here VR in the ER: VR headsets are sending gamers to the hospital, and 30% of the visits are for broken bones. One 54-year-old tripped and flipped over his ottoman playing a Star Wars VR title. If you have a VR headset, set a safety perimeter.

💸 Amazon is losing billions on Echo devices: They sold ‘em way below cost, hoping users would shop more via Alexa. Plot twist: They didn’t. Folks like it for free apps and alarms instead. A paid Alexa tier (paywall link) is in the works to recoup costs. I doubt folks will bite. I won’t.

Don’t do this: Gen Zers are venting about their jobs online with hashtags like #9to5IsNotForMe. Some even include their coworkers’ names and faces. This is a one-way ticket to getting fired and scaring away future employers. If you have a teen or college kid at home, tell them to be smarter than this.

🚬 Let’s not vape around the bush: Swype is a disposable e-cig, fitness tracker and “dumbphone.” In other words, you can vape with it, but you can’t make calls. It syncs to your smartphone via Bluetooth and shows you notifications on a touchscreen. Hard pass.

Your website is dead: Some 58.8% of U.S. Google searches never leave Google now. Worse? Nearly 30% of clicks go to Google’s own products, like YouTube, News and Images. I told you this would happen in November 2022. Btw, the guy who owns Milk.com wants $10 million for the domain. Good luck with that.

🚀 Streaming for science! A crew spent 378 days in a simulated Mars base, cut off from outside contact. How’d they pass the time? By watching a lot of TV. Turns out there’s a lot of downtime between experiments and farming your own food. They were probably binging “Friends” just to stay sane!

I found some deals to keep skeeters and ticks at bay:

• This self-sealing magnetic screen door is on sale for $26.99. Great for keeping out bugs (and allowing pets in and out).
• A two-pack of this lemon eucalyptus oil spray prevents deer ticks, Lone Star ticks and brown dog ticks without DEET, and it’s under $20.
• Hate being sticky from a spray? This portable device diffuses repellent to keep the biters back up to 20 feet (25% off).
• These cute foldable table fans will keep the black flies away from your burgers. Get a two-pack for 20% off.
• Trap gnats and other annoying flying insects with a plug-in blue-light flytrap. It’s satisfying (but a little gross) and only $12.99 right now.

Let’s make your Wednesday more fun: Turn on my yacht rock playlist (so many good songs!) and stop by my YouTube channel today at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern) to catch the live action. We have a blast.

Free money waiting for you: You put money in and you should get money out. The National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits helps you find money being held from prior employers.

Talk it out: On a Windows PC, hit Windows key + H to open a handy-dandy speech recognition tool so you can use your voice with any active program in which you’d normally type. Cool!

Mac shortcut: You have a folder full of photos all named “IMG_2348” or some nonsense. Open the folder, hit Cmd + A to select all the files, then right-click and select Rename. Replace “IMG” with something like “Hawaii.” Bam! Done.

DALL-E who? Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Fill feature can generate AI objects in an image just like DALL‑E or Midjourney:

• Select an area or object with the selection tool.
• With your area selected, right-click on it and select Generative Fill (or go to Edit > Generative Fill).
• In the text prompt box, describe the object or scene you want to add and click Generate. You’ll see previews of variations.

Is it ethical? This VPN trick could save you hundreds on a car rental … if you’re willing to work the system.

🪱 What the heck is a scarlet worm? The meaning of this forgotten Bible phrase.

The news is crazy right now: If you’re having trouble sleeping, these podcasts can help.

The answer: A.) Protocol. And when there’s an “S” at the end? That’s when a site is secure. But scammers and hackers know how to set up HTTPS sites, too. Always triple-check those URLs and close the tab if anything feels off.

😂 Why do a lot of math nerds wear glasses? It helps with division.

Now, before I leave you, here are two things I need to say:

1. You need Incogni. I was a customer before they were a sponsor. They scrub your info out of data-broker sites and off the dark web. Save 60% using my exclusive link.
2. If you’ve been following my corneal transplant journey, I posted a major update. Remember, before the transplant, my vision was 20/400. Thank you for your prayers. I appreciate each and every one of them, truly.

— Kim