Hello there, Tuesday! Since Apple is announcing new iPhones, Macs, the Vision Pro and more today, our trivia question is about its first logo. A historical figure was depicted sitting beneath an apple tree. Was it … Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin or Sir Isaac Newton? You’ll find the answer at the end.

🙏 Help keep this newsletter free to you by supporting our sponsor. If you have a tween or teen in your family and you want to see everything — and I mean every single thing — they do on their phone, the Bark phone is the best solution. Knowledge is power, friends! — Kim

Back in the day, your Facebook posts got you super-specific targeted ads (remember those shirts with your full name that’d pop up in ads?) and maybe a random friend request or two.

Now, Meta is relying on user data to beef up its artificial intelligence (AI) tools. They know most of us are creeped out by that. The solution? A brand-spankin'-new opt-out form.

Unfortunately, it leaves me with more questions than answers. After all, do you know what the letter “P” stands for in Facebook? Privacy.

Request granted (maybe)

The Generative AI Data Subject Rights form is hanging out in Meta’s help center. Filling it out is only a request for Meta to give you access to the third-party data it uses for AI development. It claims personal info is also deleted when you do.

• To submit the opt-out request, provide your country of residence, full name and email address.
• You should receive confirmation that your request is under review within 24 hours. Pro tip: The website is pretty glitchy on phones, so try it on a computer instead.

Here comes the shady part. Because it's just a "request," there's no guarantee Meta will delete your data or get you the info you ask for, even if it belongs to you. Uh … what's the point?

Just a few months ago, European regulators slapped Meta with a $1.3 billion fine for misusing data. Coincidence this opt-out form magically appeared shortly afterward? Nah.

Facebook privacy must-dos for 2023

If completing Meta's new opt-out form doesn't exactly put you at ease (it shouldn’t), you can safeguard data in other ways. 

Remove access to third-party apps: I recommend checking this a couple of times a year.

• Open Facebook on your computer and click your profile pic in the upper-right corner. Tap Settings & privacy > Settings. Select Apps and Websites from the left column and remove any apps or sites you don't trust or use.

Opt out of interest-based ads: Wipe out everything Meta knows (or thinks it knows) about you.

• Open Facebook on your computer and click your profile pic in the upper-right corner. Tap Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Ad preferences.
• Next, click Ad settings > Activity information from ad partners then Review setting.
• Finally, choose No, don't make my ads more relevant by using this information.

Clear activity from businesses you visit off Facebook: You read that correctly. With the right permissions, FB can track you IRL.

• Open Facebook on your computer and click your profile pic in the upper-right corner. Tap Settings & privacy > Settings.
• Click View next to Off-Facebook activity. Tap Clear previous activity.
• Next, tap Manage future activity and select Disconnect future activity.

💰 For Big Tech companies, you’re one of the top-selling products. No wonder they go to such great lengths to get your info — and they don’t like me very much for telling you how to say no.

✅ Hit the Facebook icon below to share this very important and timely information with your friends and family there. People will sit back and say, “Dang, that’s something I didn’t know about!”

If you have a child or teen in your family, check out the Bark Phone. There’s nothing like it on the market.

• Content scanning and search monitoring: Monitor your child's texts, social media, apps and searches, plus get alerts if something concerning is found.
• Tamper-proof design: Kids can't delete texts, change parental controls or access VPNs to bypass restrictions.
• Location tracking: Keep tabs on your child with real-time location tracking, and receive alerts for arrivals and departures from locations you set.
• Screen-time limits: Set firm, unchangeable screen time limits.

You get all of this (and peace of mind) for $49 a month. I wish this phone was available when my son was growing up!

🎰 What happens in Vegas: Hackers attacked MGM Resorts International, and thousands of people got locked out of their rooms at Mandalay Bay, the Bellagio, Luxor and MGM Grand. Emails, reservations, room cards and even the slot machines were out of commission. I wonder how much money this hack cost the casinos. It’s got to be in the tens of millions.

SOS in 2023: Park rangers rescued a lost hiker — who was smart enough to beg for help in front of livestream cams in remote Katmai National Park, Alaska. Usually, the feed shows bears chowing down on salmon and scratching, but fans saw a weather-beaten guy mouth “Help me” into the lens and alerted rangers. What a crazy story, eh?

🛴 This is how I roll: Ever seen an electric scooter zoom by faster than those things should go? Modders are getting around scooters’ built-in speed limits to go as fast as possible — over 40 miles per hour. Why? As one person said, “I love the danger” (WSJ paywall link). Not me.

Check your contract: TeachersPayTeachers is a marketplace where educators sell materials like charts, lesson plans and handouts. One teacher took to TikTok to warn you could get fired for using it. How? Anything used as a school curriculum probably belongs to the school. If you’re a teacher, check with your school before using the site.

Squeaking by: New research found that when stressed, we move our mouse further and make more typing errors. An AI model observed mouse and keyboard patterns and found a more direct tie to stress levels than by watching participants’ heart rates. Who knew?

Small-biz warning: A new Facebook Messenger phishing campaign is targeting millions of business accounts with password-stealing malware. Be on the lookout for a fake copyright warning or a request for more info urging you to download a RAR/ZIP file. Guardio Labs says one in 70 targeted accounts is compromised. Don’t be one of them!

🤠 Ask Jerry: Live in Dallas? Stop by AT&T Stadium to meet Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Well, sorta. Jerry’s not dead, but the team’s new “interactive experience” features an AI version of the 80-year-old billionaire. Tickets are $55. That’d better come with a big beer.

A laxative shortage: No joke. It’s because of the latest dumb diet trend all over the internet: Using laxatives like MiraLAX or Ex-Lax instead of taking Ozempic. TikTok videos tagged #GutTok have over a billion views, and, because of that, there’s been a run on laxatives. Don’t buy any from Germany; they’ll bring out the wurst in you.

In my no-nonsense, straight-talking podcast, I serve up everything tech in digestible, fun-sized pieces. New to the tech scene? Or maybe you're a pro? Doesn't matter. I’ve got you covered.

👉 Get my podcasts today!

Hold on to your hat because this list might be more alarming than your worst tech glitches. Security Gauge pulled crime data from 18,000 agencies — including the FBI and local police — to find the most dangerous U.S. cities in 2023. Did yours make the list?

1. Bessemer, Alabama

Once known as "The Marvel City," Bessemer is now infamous for a different reason. Home to just 27,000, this town clocked 33.18 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

2. Monroe, Louisiana

While it reigned supreme on the crime charts for the past two years, Monroe's been nudged down by Bessemer. Its 47,000 residents face a one-in-38 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.

3. Saginaw, Michigan

It's not just its proximity to Detroit. Saginaw has its own crime challenges. Case in point: A tragic shooting at an unsanctioned street bash that killed two and injured 15.

4. Memphis, Tennessee

Rock ‘n’ roll, Elvis and … crime? With a population of around 700,000, Memphis has seen its murder rates climb, with experts pointing at everything from policy to policing.

5. Detroit, Michigan

Detroit's been grappling with crime for years, fueled by urban decay and population decline. With a crime rating of 23 per 1,000, locals face a one-in-43 chance of becoming a victim.

Rounding out the top 10 are Birmingham, Alabama (No. 6); Pine Bluff, Arkansas (No. 7); Little Rock, Arkansas (No. 8); Alexandria, Louisiana (No. 9); and Cleveland, Ohio (No. 10).

Stay safe out there, folks. Here’s how to automatically alert loved ones if something goes wrong — no matter where you live.

Google always seems to know just what you want, and it’s not in your head. It tracks every search, click, message and request. Now and then, clear your search history and activity. I’m not pointing fingers, but I bet there are a few embarrassing searches in your history.

Here’s how to wipe the slate clean:

• Go to myaccount.google.com and log in.
• Click Data & privacy in the left-hand menu.
• You’ll see checkmarks next to Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History. Click each one to adjust your settings. Toggle them off to stop further tracking if you choose.

Pro tip: You can also set up Auto-delete to clear future activity every three, 18 or 36 months. Yeah, that alone was worth the price of this free newsletter.

🏃‍♀️ Keep going! 3 more Google privacy settings to change →

I can’t stand it!

The answer: Sir Isaac Newton was sitting beneath a tree with an apple about to fall on his head. I wonder if he was thinking, “There should be a law!” (Get it, gravity? Tough crowd!)

Thanks again, friend. If you haven’t, help us keep these newsletters free to you every day by checking out our sponsor, Bark. Be sure to pass the link to their site to anyone in your family with kids, too. And give yourself a nice pat on the back for keeping up with all things digital with me. You rock! — Kim