A very happy Wednesday to you, friend. Got a Gmail account you haven't touched in ages? Log in and send an email, watch a YouTube video or open a doc. If you don't, Google will trash your account (and all your emails, files and pics) on Dec. 1.

💸 There are legit reasons for Google to do this. Old accounts have old passwords, which hackers love … but it’s a bad look for the Big Tech giant. And, of course, Google wants to free up some of their (massive and costly) storage space.

Let’s get down to business. Today’s story is an important one. If it makes you think twice about the data you’re sharing, do me a solid and share it with a friend. — Kim

Your smartwatch is great for tracking steps, but have you ever thought about where all that personal data actually goes?

From sleep patterns to calorie intake, it’s like a digital diary — and it’s worth billions to insurance companies, marketing outfits, advertisers and, of course, hackers. Don’t panic! I’ll walk you through how to lock down your privacy.

What’s being collected?

These data points might not seem like a big deal by themselves, but together, they create a detailed snapshot of your life.

That’s worth big money

While companies often claim the information they collect is “anonymized,” it doesn’t take much to connect the dots and figure out who you are. For example, you’re using an app that promises it doesn’t track you, but your phone has a unique ID and it’s also tied to your IP address. Got ya!

That can lead to discrimination, with employers, insurance companies or others using data you don’t know they have to make biased decisions. There’s also the potential for breaches to expose sensitive health data to hackers who could use it for blackmail or fraud.

And let’s not forget manipulation. Imagine your fitness tracker notices a slight weight gain, and suddenly, you’re being bombarded with ads for weight-loss products. It’s not just invasive; it’s downright predatory.

How to protect yourself

If you use apps and devices to monitor your health, there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself.

Be selective: Stick with apps that have a strong privacy track record and are crystal clear about not collecting personal info or usage data. Even better? Apps that store your data on your device instead of the cloud.

Opt out: Big companies give you ways to manage data collection and sharing.

Review your permissions: Don’t hand an app permissions it doesn’t need. Why would a calorie-tracking app need access to your phone’s mic or contacts? Be picky. Unless it’s essential (like for a running app), turn off location tracking.

Limit sharing: Many apps sync with other platforms, like social media. Do yourself a favor and turn off those integrations. You can normally do this in an app’s Settings or Connected Apps menu.

Ask questions: If your employer or insurance company offers perks for wearing a tracker, ask what they do with the data. Check if participation is mandatory and if opting out affects your premiums or benefits. If you have the agreement terms, use Ctrl + F to search for words and terms like “tracking,” ”analytics” or “data sharing.”

My secret weapon against data sharing

Let’s face it: No matter what, your data will end up in someone else’s hands. That’s why I use Incogni. This service finds all the sketchy people-search and data-broker sites where your personal information is listed and submits requests to remove it.

Since setting up my account, Incogni has removed my info from 386 different data-broker and people-search sites. I love getting regular progress updates and knowing my information stays off these sites for the long haul.

👉 Ready to reclaim your privacy? I negotiated a 60% discount on Incogni just for you. Take back your privacy today. If you don’t like the results, Incogni comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

😎 Because giving good gifts shouldn’t burn a hole in your pocket

🤑 Swimming in bitcoin? Cryptocurrency values are off the charts right now. The IRS also noticed and is ready to tax all your sweet gains. There are new rules (paywall link) coming next year. Brokers will have to report all crypto sales, and you can now donate up to $18,000 to charity each year tax-free. I’m sure some will try to use the word “charity” very loosely.

A criminal's best asset is his lie ability: A moron from Missouri thought he could land a job by hacking into businesses and offering them cybersecurity help. Spoiler: It didn’t end well. Nicholas Kloster was arrested after he hacked into a health club and bragged online about taking over their security cameras and lowering his membership to $1. The FBI and local police were not amused.

🔊 “A Swiss Army knife for sound”: That’s what Nvidia is calling Fugatto, its new AI audio generator. As you might expect, people are using it to create bizarre sounds from their text prompts, like turning the sound of a train into a string orchestra. Fugatto’s creators think it could spark new music genres like the electric guitar did. Listen for yourself.

Netflix, just chill: When Netflix banned shared passwords about 18 months ago, they’d send occasional emails to request verification. Now, these emails are more frequent, and people are getting logged out. Duh, Netflix wants that $7.99 extra member fee. Netflix's profits soared after the password-sharing crackdown, jumping to $2.3 billion in the first quarter of 2024; that’s up 79% from the same quarter in 2023.

Minimalist vibes, maximalist court fees: One influencer is suing another, claiming she copied her posts and “aesthetic.” Both hawk Amazon affiliate links for minimalistic “clean girl” products (aka everything boring and beige). Can vibes be copyrighted? Common sense tells me no.

🦾 The ultimate brainchild: Elon Musk's Neuralink is moving to the next phase of human testing: A brain implant and robotic arm to help people with paralysis control devices using just their thoughts. Two patients in the U.S. are testing it, and Canada is recruiting six more. I had such a good chat with the very first Neuralink patient.

The race to conquer death: Billionaires are pouring cash into life-extending pills. Take Sam Altman: He invested $180 million into a startup working on “cellular reprogramming” to extend human life by 10 years. The Methuselah Foundation is trying to grow new organs, blood vessels and even bones.

With this news, let’s give a nod to the world’s oldest man: John Tinniswood died this week at the age of 112. John said there wasn’t any secret to his record-breaking longevity, describing it as “pure luck.” He added, "If you drink too much or you eat too much or you walk too much — if you do too much of anything — you're going to suffer eventually.” I agree. RIP, John.

Sharing is caring: Bruce in Reno called my show with a bright idea. He just got an iPad and wants to watch movies on it with his wife on an upcoming trip. “Is there a way to split the audio signal?” There sure is, Bruce. This handy gadget connects two sets of Bluetooth headphones to any device with a headphone jack. Sweet.

From Ed in Florida: “Kim, I want to get away from Google. If I sign up for StartMail, will it import all my email and contacts?” Yup. You can transfer your entire mailbox, including messages and contacts, with zero downtime and 100% security. Right now, they’re having a Black Friday sale — get 60% off your first year plus THREE extra months. That’s a deal!

🎶 Don’t stop the music: Download your jams for your road trip so they don’t cut out mid-sing-along when your phone has no signal. On Spotify, look for download (down arrow icon) next to one of your playlists. FYI, only Premium subscribers can download music, and you can’t grab individual songs. On Apple Music, click the + (plus icon on the right) to add to your library, then hit download (down arrow) to listen offline.

Traveling solo? Share your location with your family and friends. On iPhone, open the Find My app and tap People (bottom of the screen) > + (plus icon) > Share My Location. Then, select a contact, hit Send and choose the duration. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon (top right) > Location sharing > New Share and send the link through your messaging app. Safe travels!

Gobble, gobble: Catch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade streaming on NBC via YouTube TV and Peacock starting at 8:30 a.m. EST on Thursday. More in the mood for “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”? Sign up for a seven-day Apple TV+ trial to watch it for free. Don’t forget to cancel!

I buy supplements online: It’s just easier, and you can find higher-quality options. One I’ve been taking for years is collagen, which is scientifically proven to help increase bone density, support cartilage regrowth, smooth wrinkles, strengthen nails and make your hair thicker. OK, love that. Want to try? Get up to 45% off and free shipping at NativePath with my link.*

This photo was snapped all the way back in December of 1959. At least no one back then could text and drive.

You’ve probably never wondered what King Tut’s 3,400-year-old grandmother looked like — but now that I’ve said it, I’m sure you want to know! This is such a cool video and perfect for sharing with the photo-editing nerd in your life. Amazing.

🩺 If I photoshopped a medical license, would that be a doctored image? (Oof, sorry.)

And that’s a wrap! Before you go, stop by Incogni’s site. They’re the company I picked to wipe my private data off the web. I’m glad I did, and you will be, too. See you back here tomorrow for another issue of the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim