It’s another tech-tastic Tuesday, friend! Let’s kick it off with some trivia. Remember pagers? Be‑e‑e‑e‑p. They’ve mostly faded into the tech graveyard, but thousands are still alive-ish and kickin’ in the U.S. Can you guess how many pagers are active today? Is it … A.) 8,000, B.) 80,000, C.) 800,000 or D.) 8 million? Find the answer at the end!

💪 Have you ever wondered why some emails reach you effortlessly while others seem to vanish? It's Big Tech's gatekeeping algorithms at play, filtering what you see and don't see. But today, you have the power to change that. Simply reply to this email, and my messages will always make their way to you, uninterrupted. Even a simple "Yes, I got it" or "Hello" will do. Your help is crucial. Thank you! — Kim

When you agree to TikTok’s terms of service after downloading the app, you're handing Communist China the keys to the kingdom. I dug up all the creepy things TikTok tracks and how it does it — plus, how to quickly find red flags in their terms and conditions.

From fingerprints to filenames

Think the TikTok paranoia is overblown? It’s not. Here's the laundry list of data you give up every time you scroll. It’s a lot:

• Your name, age, username, email address, password, phone number and location.
• Your IP address, cellphone carrier, time zone, the model of your device and its operating system.
• Biometric identifiers, like facial IDs and voiceprints. Yep.
• The content of your messages, along with when you send, receive and read them.
• If you buy stuff from TikTok Shop, you’re giving up your purchase info, including your credit card number and billing and shipping addresses.
• Your activities on other websites and apps (or in stores!), including, yep, your purchase info.
• Filenames and file types.
• Your keystroke patterns and rhythms.
• Objects and scenery that show up in your videos, including tourist attractions, shops and other landmarks.
• The sites you visit most and how you interact with them.
• Any text, images and videos on your clipboard.
• Info about your videos, images and audio.

Seem like a fair trade for cute videos and a new dance challenge? Didn’t think so.

But wait, there's more

TikTok also embeds data into images and ads to track the time and date you view a page, complete with a description. The amount of data TikTok collects is so extensive that it can come dangerously close to cloning your entire phone.

Where TikTok stores its data is also a major red flag for Congress; the info collected by TikTok users in the U.S. is connected straight to servers in China.

Read that fine print

I’ve been warning you about this Communist China app for a while now, but scanning any app’s terms and conditions too quickly could put you at risk of giving up more than you expect. Here's how to quickly spot the biggest red flags:

• Use Ctrl + F on Windows (or Cmd + F on a Mac) to search an app’s terms and conditions for buzzwords like “purchase,” “messages” and “third party.” Pay attention to vague words like "may," which is when they’re trying to get away with something sneaky.
• Search for sections like "How we collect your personal data" to see what an app collects on you and how they do it.
• Look for words like “geolocation" and “geotargeting" to find out if your location information is collected.
• Check out the Terms of Service; Didn't Read tool. It flags shady language in privacy policies on today's top apps and gives them a privacy rating. TikTok got an “E,” meaning the app’s terms of service “raise very serious concerns.” I also give it an “E” — Egregiously greedy; don’t download.

Share time: Use the icons below to spread the word. So many people have no clue TikTok is really this bad. Btw, sharing on social media is OK with me!

• Need a new mouse? This one from Logitech is 33% off at just $13.42.
• Expand your Wi‑Fi network with this extender that’s 44% off and can handle up to 25 devices.
• Charge all your tech with this genius wall charger-surge protector. It's 50% off!
• This universal travel adapter with a surge protector is now just $13.99 (30% off).
• Throw an Apple AirTag in your luggage, car, wallet, backpack or purse for an incredible 17% off right now.
• Turn your iPad into a laptop with the case I use and love. It’s from Apple and it’s 12% off.
• This Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements bundle will take your photos and videos to the next level.
• Learn Microsoft Office with this great book. It’s like getting nine textbooks in one.
• These $5.95 cheat sheets for Excel are so helpful. Or pick up this bestselling book for more in-depth help.
• Keep all your tech like new with this handy cleaning kit. Be sure to click the coupon box to save another $2.

🏚️ Minding my drone business: U.S. home insurance companies are using drones to expose damaged roof shingles, yards full of combustible junk, and swimming pools and trampolines homeowners failed to tell them about. An invasion of privacy? Nope. If it’s out in the open, you can legally photograph it.

🏥 Know anyone in health care? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says cybercriminals are targeting medical office IT help desks. With stolen IDs, they spin tales of broken phones to trick staff into setting up multifactor authentication. Their goal? Sneak into systems, access confidential info and reroute payments straight into their pockets.

Walmart’s holding the bag: It just agreed to a $45 million settlement for overpricing weighted goods and bagged citrus from Oct. 19, 2018, to Jan. 19, 2024. Got receipts? You could get back 2% of what you spent (up to $500). No receipt? You might still snag $10 to $25. Claims close June 5 — submit online or by mail.

🧾 The shake-down: Squatters took over a $930,000 NYC home and are suing the owners post-eviction, claiming they have a right to stay. Their proof? A sketchy lease and a $25 Shake Shack delivery receipt to assert squatter's rights after 30 days.

Ad invasion: Roku's eying tech that slaps ads on anything hooked up to your TV via HDMI — think gaming consoles and other streaming devices. Its plan? To pop targeted ads onto your screen the second you hit pause. It's a pending patent for now — expect it soon.

✈️ Heads up, jet-setters: If you book a trip with Google Flights' price guarantee badge and the fare drops, you could get refunded the difference. The drop must be over $5, there’s a $500 cap per year, and you must be signed in with the region as the U.S. (with prices in dollars). You'll also need Google Pay to claim your cash back.

Some spouses are M&M's – Memories & Mistakes: A Massachusetts mom turned to social media to track down her husband, who left her and their two kids. Her post went viral, and within 14 hours, women claimed to have matched with him on the dating app Bumble, serving up his new address and phone number in Texas. Putz.

🖥️ Take your Windows PC to the next level: Microsoft PowerToys is a free toolkit that makes Windows 10 and 11 less cluttered. Some tools? Personalized window layouts, mass file renaming and a way to find your lost cursor.

🔎 Real deal or cheap knockoff? You find a great dress, pair of shoes, wallet or whatever online. Is it a nicely made piece or something you could buy in bulk on Alibaba? One easy way to check: Do a reverse image search. Upload a saved pic here on Google Images and see if you can spot the exact product elsewhere.

PC power-user tip: You can use the Windows key + arrows to move a window. Windows key + → moves a window to the right, ← moves it to the left, ↑ moves it up or expands the window, and ↓ minimizes or moves down your window.

MacBook fix: You bought an Apple laptop and can’t figure out how to click anything without your mouse. No worries. Click the Apple menu > System Settings > Trackpad. Enable Tap to click. Now, you can tap on the trackpad with just one finger.

⏸️ Cheapskate pro tip: If you’ll be out of town for an extended period, pause your internet and/or cable package. This is so much better than paying full price for those services when you’re not even using them. Get specific steps for your provider here.

“Run?” I thought they said, “Rum!”

The answer: C.) 800,000 pagers are still operational in the U.S. Most are used by doctors and emergency personnel, but anyone can buy one. A basic one-way pager, which receives messages but can’t send them, will set you back about $100, plus $20 per month. Tempted? Me, neither.

🖊️ Let me tell you, modern technology has never matched the simplicity and grace of the traditional pen. In fact, you could say that there is still no e‑quill. (Bet you didn’t see that coming!)

Just a reminder to join the fun with me on Instagram, X, YouTube and Facebook. You asked, so I’m delivering — tomorrow, I’ll be sharing the definitive guide to buying the best router for your home or office. You don’t want to miss that! Make it a great day, and I’m so thrilled to have you with me here with the best newsletter in the USA! — Kim