It’s a terrific Thursday! First, a little brain teaser to see if you've been paying attention. Which car company recently said it would start putting ChatGPT in its cars? Was it … Audi, Ford, Mercedes-Benz or Toyota? Answer's at the end, along with the way to join the car's beta program.

🪄 If I could, I’d wave a magic tech wand and zap away all your technology troubles. Meet GetKimsHelp.com, always ready to tackle your tech problems whenever they arise. If we don’t fix your Wi-Fi, printer, router, phone, whatever — you don’t pay. — Kim

Software that monitors what employees do during the day is nothing new. For years, companies have used it to watch what their employees browse, how productive they are, whom they’re messaging — you name it.

In fact, the New York Times found eight of the 10 biggest private employers in the U.S. tracked workers to keep an eye on productivity.

So, is your employer using this stuff? What can they see? You’ve come to the right place.

Who's the boss(ware)?

Bossware is no joke. It started with programs that let employers peek into your phone call history, instant messages and emails. Back then, a person had to sift through all that footage manually or read all your messages. That takes time and/or a lot of money. 

Today’s software, though, has built-in tools that automatically flag certain words, behaviors and even facial expressions. No human work is required.

• Spyzie tracks your activity and location during your work schedule through your smartphone. Yeah, your boss knows you went to Starbucks during your “emergency.” 
• CleverControl not only keeps track of how long you're at the keyboard, but it allows your employer to discreetly turn on your computer's camera and microphone and record what you're up to … oof.

Start snooping

Come with me back to 1986. Madonna, “Top Gun” and Ukraine were in the news. (Funny — they are today, too!) That’s also when the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, or ECPA, was enacted, covering workplace rights. That was a long time before computers, the internet and AI, so don’t expect much from it.

This means you need to do some homework yourself. Employee monitoring software is usually disclosed in a few documents and agreements:

• Employment contract: Your contract may include clauses regarding monitoring software or surveillance. 
• Employee handbook or company policies: You should’ve received a physical or digital copy upon your hiring.
• Technology or IT policies: Scan for any mention of monitoring software or data collection.
• Privacy policy: Your company may have a privacy policy that outlines how they handle and protect various types of data, including yours.
• Consent forms: You may have signed a specific consent form to permit monitoring.

Sure, I can see both sides

As a business owner, I’ve found trust and open communication, rather than surveillance, are keys to success. How else could we bring you this very email, radio shows and podcasts? 

While this technology has its merits, crossing into personal space isn’t one of them. Remember, not everything that looks like hard work leads to meaningful results. I’ve seen folks who can fire off a storm of emails and juggle spreadsheets all day, but, in the end, have nothing to show for it. 

Being productive is more than just being busy. It’s about creating value.

🔍 I bet most people don’t know just how intrusive bossware is. Share this with a friend and spread the knowledge.

Stop wasting hours on tech issues that a person with the right know-how can fix in 10 minutes. That’s where the great folks over at GetKimsHelp.com come in.

My tech support pros are patient, smart and available 24/7 — whether your computer is slow, your smart speaker isn’t connecting or your printer is down. My team can remote into your device and do it for you, so no trying to figure out complicated steps when something goes wrong.

For just $14.99 a month, you can get unlimited help. Call them as much as you want! That’s hard to beat, friend. The best part? If they don’t fix your problem, you don’t pay!

💵 Cash-strapped: You get a phone call from someone claiming to be from Apple or Microsoft, and they’re saying there’s fraud on your account. Here’s the twist: Scammers no longer want gift cards or bank transfers. They want cold, hard cash you put inside a magazine and send via FedEx or UPS. Warn those in your life about this scam.

Led astray: A guy looking to change his flight called the number he found in Google Maps. It led him right to a scammer. That’s right — the listings for multiple airlines at New York’s John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports were swapped for fakes. You can bet it’s not just NY airports. Go directly to your airline’s website to find the number you need to call.

💳 Get $100 for free: Have an Apple Card Savings account? Apple and Goldman Sachs are passing out $100 “goodwill credits” to apologize for their crappy customer service after long delays in transferring money this summer. Watch your account for the deposit. If you had enough $100 bills, you could make a Christmas wreath or an Aretha Franklin.

Your new lover: A former Google exec says almost-“sentient” AI-enabled s*x robots are coming. Between virtual reality, ultra-realistic robots and the complications of human relationships, Mo Gawdat says, it makes more sense to choose a bot companion. Mo, we’re gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

🧑‍⚕️ Doctors, just like us: Joshua Bulman sprained his ankle and broke a bone skateboarding, but at least he got a viral video out of it. The 27-year-old recorded his doctor Googling his injury and watching a YouTube tutorial about how to wrap an ankle and posted it to TikTok. Glad it was just his leg.

Netflix kills its cheapest plan: Say goodbye to the $9.99 monthly plan that offered lower-quality resolution and just one stream. Now you’ve got a choice to make: Standard with ads for $6.99 a month, Standard with no ads for $15.49 a month or Premium for $19.99 monthly.

Check your kid’s phone: Look for Wizz, a friend-finding app marketed as a safe space for kids. Perverts infiltrated Wizz and have allegedly been using it to extort kids into sending explicit photos and personal info. The app’s maker ought to be fined, sued and prohibited from creating another app again.

📺 A great internet success story: I love it when an entrepreneur comes up with an idea that just makes sense. Here, it’s about finding replacement china, glassware, silverware and more to sell on his website. I happily used this site myself a handful of times. Watch this video to see how he finds the goods and still works hard at the business.

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!

Los Angeles is the spot for actors. Want to get into the advertising biz? Move to New York. Ready for your big music break? Nashville is calling.

What about tech? Silicon Valley comes to mind, of course, but it’s not the only hub. Let’s look at the top U.S. and Canadian cities for those hoping to land a job in tech:

1. San Francisco Bay Area
2. Seattle
3. New York metro area
4. Washington, D.C.
5. Toronto
6. Austin
7. Boston
8. Vancouver
9. Dallas/Fort Worth
10. Denver

Times are tough

Last year, more than 150,000 tech workers were laid off. Through June 2023, that number is well over 200,000. It’s not just Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Yahoo; startups are axing workers, too.

More than ever, it makes sense to go where the jobs are. If you or someone you know is looking for a tech job, head to LinkedIn* and filter your search by the cities above. Want more options? See the top 50 cities for tech jobs here.

😂 What do you call a bunch of employees caught sleeping on the job? A Dream Team.

📃 Pro tip: If you’ve sent tons of applications and aren’t getting any bites, your resume might be to blame. Follow my tips here to polish yours and get it past hiring algorithms.

You separate your recyclables from the everyday trash, divide plastics from paper and the whole routine. But there are certain tech items you can’t put in your recycle bin or trash can. In fact, doing so is illegal in some places. Here are the proper ways to handle them:

• Batteries, especially lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium types, should be taken to a hazardous waste collection center. 
• Your television is packed with glass, lead and potentially hazardous materials, and it’s not meant for the landfill.
• Let's not forget relics like those old glass thermometers. If you still have one, it likely contains mercury. Don't toss it in the trash, and whatever you do, try not to break it. 

♻️ If you can’t toss this stuff, what do you do? Search online for your city or town’s name plus the term “electronics disposal.” You can also check out this handy site.

If you put a hard hat up to your ear, you can hear the OSHA.

🚘 The answer: Mercedes-Benz. If you want to access the ChatGPT assistant in your car, wake the MBUX Voice Assistant by saying, “Hey, Mercedes, I want to join the beta program.” What could possibly go wrong?

🤝 Help keep this newsletter free. If there’s something not working right in your tech life, give my experts a try at GetKimsHelp.com. Thank you for that! I’ll see you tomorrow with another issue of the best tech newsletter in the universe! Stay awesome! — Kim