Hello, friends! It’s a tech-marvelous Monday. Let's start with our trivia question. What is the most-streamed song of all time? Is it … A) "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran, B) "Viva Las Vegas" by Elvis Presley or C) "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd? You'll find the answer at the bottom.

🥰 Do your part to keep this newsletter totally free to you by checking out today’s sponsor, RYSE. They’re a total game-changer in the smart home biz. Now, on to increasing your tech-savviness! — Kim

You’re smart and keep your personal life out of your online profiles. You try to keep the most important things private. I’m talking about your middle name, job, city, pet's name, school you went to, your spouse’s name, the ages of your kids, your shoe size — you name it.

This leads me to today’s topic: “Doxxing.” This is when someone digs up your personal info and broadcasts it to the world, often to embarrass, harass or downright harm you. TikTokker Kristen Sotakoun has become an overnight viral sensation, going from 30 followers to 1.1 million, for what she calls "consensual doxxing."

She has it down to an art

In her first viral video, Kristen unearthed a guy's identity from a mere cartoon avatar and a pair of glasses.

In another, she used only a TikTok business username to track down its owner, winding her way from a car forum to a 2014 blog to online records of his journey to donate an organ. (She found the actual paperwork!)

It's like a 21st-century scavenger hunt with a dash of Sherlock Holmes. And Kristen’s goal is something I can get behind: Showing you just how leaky your so-called “private” profiles really are.

Think your accounts are locked up like Fort Knox? Think again

Kristen’s cracked about 70% to 80% of her “cases,” and all she's using are the social media crumbs people leave behind — no deep dives into public records or sketchy databases.

While her foray into "consensual doxxing" sheds much-needed light on privacy, it's a slippery slope. These “doxxing” tactics could be easily misused by someone with not-so-good intentions. Of course, Kristen hopes her videos will do more good than harm.

Try it yourself

I watched a few of her videos, and she uses a lot of image search sites. Here are a few to try:

You might want to start thinking of your digital footprint as unique to you but easily lifted if you're not careful.

✅ Do your own “consensual doxxing.” Find out what’s online about you and how to remove it. Here’s my simple guide to doing just that. I bet you’ll be shocked by what you dig up.

😂 Did you know Google has a platform for recording your bowel movements? It's called Google Sheets. (Oh, come on, it wasn’t that bad!)

If you had the opportunity to invest in the biggest electronics products before they launched into big-box retail, would you?

Ring changed doorbells and Nest changed thermostats. Early investors in these companies earned massive returns, but the opportunity to invest was limited to a select wealthy few. Not anymore. RYSE is set to debut in 100+ Best Buy stores this week, and you're in luck — you can still invest at only $1.25 per share before their name becomes known nationwide.

They have patented the only mass-market shade automation device, and their exclusive deal with Best Buy resembles that which led Ring and Nest to their billion-dollar buyouts.

Urine trouble: Amazon drivers are so busy making deliveries that some claim they’re being forced to pee in bottles in their trucks. A new documentary, “The Great Amazon Heist,” shows how easy it was to gather the used bottles drivers left behind, rebottle the urine and sell it as an energy drink called “Release” on Amazon. I wonder how Amazon’s PR machine will spin this gross story.

👨🏼‍⚕️ Oh, my data: One in four Americans has had their health data exposed this year. Let that sink in. More than 45 million of us were exposed in the third quarter alone. You really need to up your scam radar. Read every Explanation of Benefits you get in the mail, and hang up if someone calls saying they need your insurance ID, Medicare numbers or other details. Important PSA for fam and friends, too.

Be positive, no matter watt: The U.S. will spend nearly $3.5 billion to upgrade the nation’s electric grid. Over half the lines were built before the 1970s — way before data centers, EVs and home battery packs, for instance. The big change: More homes and businesses will use wind and solar energy. That makes sense.

Doctors with little patients: The American Pediatrics annual conference shared the top three reasons kids go to the ER: Curling irons, tiny magnets from toys and electric scooters. Check the toys, put away the curling irons, and a helmet is nonnegotiable if your kid has a scooter.

George Jetson, your ride is here: Delta’s rolling out “vertiports” in NYC and LA for electric air taxis to take you to the airport. The projected cost to get from downtown Manhattan to La Guardia or JFK? About $200 for 20 minutes versus a 45-minute ride and $100. Time is money.

💊 Move over, Ozempic: Drug giant Eli Lilly is testing a new weight loss drug called Retatrutide that won’t get FDA approval for years … but knockoffs are already all over the web (WSJ, paywall link). Trials have been very small. Don’t be a beta tester and buy it online, folks.

Look, ma! No more cables: This is terrific. The FCC just gave Apple, Meta and Google access to super-fast 6GHz wireless. Unlike wireless of the past (think Bluetooth), it’s much higher-powered — perfect for all those VR and AR headsets coming soon. Expect it in 2025.

Only two years late: The long-awaited Tesla Cybertruck will begin shipping Nov. 30 to select customers. Full production of the electric SUVs starts next year.

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.

Choose your platform below to listen:

Before you go through the work of resetting it, check to see if it’s hidden on your computer. Your best bet? Your browser’s list of saved passwords.

On Google Chrome:

On Apple Safari:

🍇 Hope your search was fruitful, friend. Oh, and if you discovered it’s the same password you use for three other sites, stop that!

😆 My email password was hacked. That's the third time I've had to rename the dog.

Pink note: “Cops hiding; don’t jump.” Talk about going off the rails.

The answer: C) "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd. This smash hit has taken the streaming world by storm and has surpassed "Shape of You" to become the most-streamed song.

🌅 Don’t forget to help keep this newsletter free to you and click the link to today’s sponsor. RYSE is changing the smart shade game, and you can be one of their investors.

✅ Be sure to share this newsletter with your family and friends. Use your referral link below and post it on social media, Facebook Groups, Nextdoor, LinkedIn and more. Every referral is one entry to win a brand-new $1,200 Apple or Windows device of your choosing. Appreciate you being here with me! — Kim