Mashable

1. Pastors are getting in on Ring's ever-growing surveillance state

   

   

   God is always watching — and soon, thanks to Amazon, a bunch of church pastors may join in on the fun. 

   According to the Baltimore Sun, the Seattle tech giant has partnered with a host of religious leaders to equip Baltimore residents with Ring surveillance cameras. Amazon reportedly helped the group of pastors secure $15,000 to acquire the Amazon-owned cameras that have gained notoriety as a privacy-violating, police-fueled creep show.  

   Notably, these cameras will not be deployed at physical places of worship — often a sad necessity in an age of rising anti-semitism and white nationalist violence — but rather employed to bust people in the community.  Read more...

   More about Amazon, Ring, Tech, and Big Tech Companies

2. Don't let your precious Apple Card touch lesser credit cards, warns Apple

   

   

   The Platonic Ideal of conspicuous consumption never looked so shiny — and Apple really wants you to keep it that way. 

   The much ballyhooed Apple Card had its official U.S.-wide launch yesterday, with eager early adopters rushing to praise the card's titanium body and laser-etched logo. And, because this is an Apple product, the geniuses of Cupertino released an elaborate set of cleaning and care instructions for the newest addition to their family of products. 

   Yes, you read that correctly. Cleaning and care instructions for a credit card. 

   "Place your card in a slot in your wallet or billfold without touching another credit card," reads the card-owning guide. "If two credit cards are placed in the same slot your card could become scratched." Read more...

   More about Apple, Dumb, Apple Card, Tech, and Big Tech Companies

3. Why Instagram should take that viral hoax seriously

   

   

   By now, you've probably heard about that ridiculous, nearly decade-old privacy hoax that went viral on Instagram thanks to a bunch of clueless celebrities.

   And while it's easy to laugh at, it has some pretty serious implications for the company's billion plus users.

   That the hoax, which has been repeatedly debunked over the years, was able to spread like virtual wildfire across Instagram is concerning to say the least. It shows just how easily conspiracy theories and propaganda can spread, with Instagram doing little to stop it. The hoax incorrectly warns of a change in Instagram's privacy policy and encourages users to copy and paste a sloppy statement in order to block the Facebook-owned company from using their photos, messages, and other information.   Read more...

   More about Tech, Facebook, Instagram, Social Media Companies, and Tech

   

4. Turtle ASMR is cute as (s)hell

   

   

   If we’ve learned anything from this video, it’s that the internet needs more turtle ASMR content. Like, yesterday.

   For everyone that has ever wanted to experience the cuteness overload brought on by little turtles getting their munch on pond-side, YouTube channel The Fish Whisperer has got your back (er, your shell, in this case). 

   Given a mic, a naturally picturesque background, and an assortment of fruits, veggies, and crunchy buggies, the turtles are free to casually waltz up the hill, grab a quick bite, and slip back down to the pond. The turtles have obviously mastered the art of somehow being wholesomely charming whileeating. If only we could learn to do the same. Read more...

   More about Cute Animals, Asmr, Turtles, Culture, and Animals

5. Content streamers do it better with a VPN

   

   

   
   

   
   
   

   
   
   
   

   Stream smarter with 60% off any IPVanish plan
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   Streaming the millionth episode of your favorite show? Play it safe and rely on a Virtual Private Network (VPN), whether you’re on your couch or at your airport gate.

   What a VPN does

   Normally, your computer is assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address by your internet service provider (ISP). Every computer you connect to can see your IP address. But if you use an untraceable VPN provider like IPVanish, you can stay hidden. 

   A VPN provider runs large server computers in multiple locations, usually on multiple continents. If you use a VPN, every time you connect to the web, your computer connects to one of the VPN servers first. It then uses the Internet connection of that server to find its way to the Internet.  Read more...

   More about Cybersecurity, Vpn, Online Privacy, Ipvanish, and Streaming Content