Welcome to your tech-spectacular Saturday, friend. As I like to say, “Every single thing is now a tech thing!” Let’s start with our trivia. In 2023, which emoji had the most-searched-for meaning? Was it … A.) 💩 (pile of poo), B.) 🙈 (see-no-evil monkey), C.) 🐳 (spouting whale) or D.) 😵‍💫 (face with spiral eyes)? Make your guess, and you’ll find the answer at the bottom of this email.

I’ve been getting a lot of questions from readers and listeners about how Incogni works. I’ll walk you through the how-tos below, and, as always, I’ll pass along with lots of goodies for you to share with family and friends. Use those sharing buttons as you see fit! — Kim

Data brokers and people-search sites are more than just a nuisance; they're a downright menace. I've been sounding the alarm on these digital peeping Toms for years.

Imagine a vast web of data brokers lurking in the shadows, all with one goal: To mine and sell your personal info to anyone willing to pay.

Who's buying your data?

Oh, just an unsavory mix of relentless marketers and people from your past you'd rather not bump into again. It gets worse — They're also selling your data to telemarketers and spammers. You know, the kinds who inundate your life with unwanted calls and emails.

More than 180 different sites suck up every scrap of your personal data they can find. Prepare to be shocked by what they have on you.

From public records to your latest social media post, they're tracking it all. This includes (and definitely isn’t limited to) your name, address, birth date, spouse’s name, relatives and political preferences. And don’t forget about posts you’ve liked or commented on, where you went to school, what you own, how much you owe, your phone number, any run-ins with the law, your retirement savings, where you work now and in the past — and more, much more.

How can this be legal?

Short answer: Because they throw in an “opt-out” clause. But don't be fooled; opting out is like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded. You have to tackle each of the over 180 sites one by one, and they make it as convoluted and frustrating as possible. I tried to do it myself. That’s when I went searching for help.

There’s an easier way

After a lot of research, I found Incogni. This amazing service automatically removes your info from those 180-plus sites. Spend a couple of minutes putting in your info, and you won’t have to lift a finger after that. It’s phenomenal.

So far, Incogni has removed my details from 88 privacy-stealing data brokers’ and people-search sites. Better yet, they put my name on 24 data-suppression lists. This means these data brokers and people-search sites will never re-collect any personal information that could be associated with me ever again.

Incogni is working on 69 more sites, and every time a new data broker or people-search site pops up, they automatically remove me from those, too.

Since I signed up for Incogni, the robocalls and telemarketing calls have stopped completely. The same goes for spam. Incredible.

Get started now

It’s super easy to take back your privacy like I did. Incogni is a sponsor of my national radio show and this newsletter, so I negotiated an exclusive deal just for you. Right now, get 60% off an annual subscription of Incogni using the promo code KIM60.

I’m not sharing this because I get kickbacks or residuals if you buy. (I don’t.) I’m sharing it because I saw how well it performs firsthand, and I like to pass along cybersecurity steps that work. Incogni does.

Try Incogni right now, and if you’re not completely satisfied in 30 days, cancel and get your money back. You’re gonna love it like I do, though. I just know it. (Psst! Steps to set up an account are on my site.)

Your TV might be smart enough that all the apps you need are built in. That's not true for many TVs, though — and honestly, streaming boxes and sticks are easier to use than the clunky interfaces on most TVs.

📱 “My phone died. Can I use yours?” It’s a trick spreading quickly across the country. Someone who's clearly frazzled asks if they can call a friend on your phone to pick them up because their car won't start. You unlock your device, hand it over and that person runs away with it.

Attention, Chrome users: Safety Check now runs automatically in the background. It'll give you a nudge about bad passwords, outdated Chrome versions and sketchy extensions, all through the three-dot menu. The cherry on top? A memory-saver mode for more efficient performance.

🎬 TV shows come to life: Fans are stepping into shows like "Squid Game" with interactive experiences, from playing the actual games to munching on Korean snacks. This trend's booming, bringing shows like "Friends" and "Bridgerton" to life. Just imagine a "Dahmer" lunch break ... OK, maybe not.

Smartphones of the future: Phone experts used AI to drum up ideas for the future of phones. Topping the list: Models that bend like gymnasts, charge themselves in the sun and come equipped with self-repairing screens.

🛫 Ticket to scam: Boarding passes display your full legal name, ticket number and passenger name record. That six-digit code plus your last name gives anyone access to your booking info online (think email, phone number, address), and they can even change or cancel your flight. Do not post photos of your boarding passes on social!

🎉 Just one day left in my iPhone 15 giveaway (a $799 value!): Share the link with someone you know so they can try my free newsletter and get a chance to win! Yes, you can enter, too, at www.komando.com/win.

Sounds … cozy? Billionaires are building hidden bunkers. Uh, do they know something I don’t?

💝 Don’t skip this: You unwrapped new tech and probably sped through the settings to get it up and running. Take a minute and set it up the right way.

New year, new job: 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 the hiring algorithms.

True or false: Performance apps monitoring your battery can add much life to your phone. Answer here, along with my charging smarts.

🎞️ Thanks for the memories: Every year that passes, your physical photos and negatives degrade a little more. Digitize them before it’s too late.

🔋 More battery in a hurry: You must leave in 15 minutes and your phone battery is hovering around 3%. Plug it in, switch it into Airplane mode and give it as much time as possible. Shutting off extra processes means your phone can focus on charging.

Friendly reminder: Fake ChatGPT websites and apps look just like the real thing — except they’ll load your device with malware or steal your info. Here are the legit app download links for iPhone and Android.

🔇 What is that? Too many tabs and too much noise? Right-click on a tab in your browser and select Mute Tab or Mute Site. In some browsers, you can also click the microphone on a tab playing noise to stop it.

Windows user? Use “God Mode” to access all your Control Panel settings in one place: Just create a new folder anywhere, like on your desktop, and rename it to this exact string: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} Hit “Enter,” and the folder icon will change to a Control Panel icon. Opening this new folder will give you a powerful, centralized view of virtually all settings and configuration options in Windows.

Mac fan? Batch-rename your files in Finder. Select all the files you want to rename, right-click and choose Rename [number] Items. A window will pop up, offering options to replace text, add text or completely format the names. This is handy for organizing photos, documents or any group of files where consistent naming is important.

That would be doobie‑ous.

The answer: D.) 😵‍💫 (face with spiral eyes). The "Woozy Face" or "Dizzy Face" emoji features a face with uneven eyes and a wavy mouth. It means the sender is dazed, disoriented, intoxicated, or overwhelmed by strong emotions like love or infatuation — like how much you enjoy my free newsletter!

One for the road: What is a cow emoji called? An emooji. (Ha!)

📺 I have huge changes coming to my YouTube channel in January, so click here now to subscribe. This way, you’ll be automatically notified when these changes roll out! Have a great day, and I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow with another issue of the best newsletter in the USA! — Kim