More than 750,000 U.S. birth certificate applications exposed online
More than 750,000 U.S. birth certificate applications exposed online
Applying for a copy of a birth certificate involves submitting plenty of personal information that you'd expect the recipient to properly safeguard. But a company dealing with the applications in the U.S. has left more than 750,000 of the forms exposed online, it was revealed this week.
How to control the ads you see online
How to control the ads you see online
Learn how to control the ads you see online with our ad settings guides. If you're tired of ad targeting, ads following you around online, or seeing just lots of ads that you'd rather not see, there are key settings you can change to make a difference. We'll go over Google, Facebook, and Ad Blockers to show how they can help!
6 things you should stop doing online
6 things you should stop doing online
We've all grown used to browsing the internet in a certain way. But you and your personal data are today more vulnerable than ever. Therefore, it's time to switch things up a little. Here are a few steps you can take to have a more secure experience while browsing the internet.
Big tech is tracking your kids, and consumer groups want the FTC to step in
Big tech is tracking your kids, and consumer groups want the FTC to step in
Multiple consumer groups wrote a letter to the FTC, calling for the organization to review how companies are marketing towards children and tracking them online. The groups want more information and transparency in how digital media companies go about tracking children online and collecting and storing their data.
Google Photos just made it easier to share one-off photos and videos
Google Photos just made it easier to share one-off photos and videos
Google Photos has just launched a handy new feature that makes it much easier to send one-off photos and video clips. Sending content also initiates a chat-like messaging experience, with the recipient able to quickly save the photo or clip to their gallery, if they wish.
Craigslist finally creates a mobile app for iOS; Android version still in beta
Craigslist finally creates a mobile app for iOS; Android version still in beta
Even though Craigslist has been around since 1995, the popular classified advertisements website is only just now getting a mobile app. The app mirrors the website’s simple and minimalistic design, and it has already climbed up to the No. 10 app in the App Store’s “shopping” category.
Nominate your top tech of the year for Digital Trends’ Readers’ Choice Award
Nominate your top tech of the year for Digital Trends’ Readers’ Choice Award
Digital Trends prides itself on the way it tests products, from phones to video games. We've already put together our top product picks for the year, but there's one thing that's missing: our readers. This year, we want you to nominate your favorite tech of 2019 for our Readers' Choice Award.
From censorship to VCRs, these are the top Reddit posts of 2019
From censorship to VCRs, these are the top Reddit posts of 2019
What were the most popular posts on one of the internet's most popular destinations? Behold, the top Reddit posts of 2019, which cover a variety of topics, from literal poop, to censorship, to VCRs. Reddit released the annual report highlighting a handful of significant trends over the past year.
Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are stepping down
Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are stepping down
Google’s founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced on December 3 that they are stepping down immediately from their roles of CEO and president of Alphabet, respectively, with Google's CEO Sundar Pichai stepping into the top spot at the search giant's parent company.
Four fired employees plan to file charges against Google. Here’s what’s next
Four fired employees plan to file charges against Google. Here’s what’s next
It may be a long road ahead for the four former Google employees who were unceremoniously fired, while attempting to organize a Google employee union. They have said they will file charges of “unfair labor practices” with the National Labor Relations Board.
Cyber Monday 2019 broke records, with $9.4 billion in online sales
Cyber Monday 2019 broke records, with $9.4 billion in online sales
The dust has settled on the biggest shopping weekend of the year, and early data is showing that yesterday’s Cyber Monday broke records with total sales reaching an estimated $9.4 billion. In total, this year’s Cyber Monday sales were up an estimated 19% from last year, which saw $7.9 billion in sales.
How to make your Giving Tuesday donations count for even more
How to make your Giving Tuesday donations count for even more
This past weekend was all about buying the best deals and shopping for the holiday season, but on Tuesday, December 3, it’s about giving back. Giving Tuesday has evolved since it started in 2012, and there are lots of different ways to participate. This year, PayPal will match every donation made, up to $600,000.
You will soon be able to migrate your Facebook photos and videos to Google Photos
You will soon be able to migrate your Facebook photos and videos to Google Photos
Facebook will soon let you easily migrate your photos and videos to other services like Google Photos. In a blog post, the social network said it’s rolling out a new tool in Ireland that allows you to transfer your Facebook media without having to manually download and upload it someplace else.
How to make money on YouTube
How to make money on YouTube
YouTube lets content creators the world over make a decent living from their videos. If you want to get in on that action, then learning how to make money on YouTube is the first step. We'll leave the creativity to you, but here's how to monetize your account and avoid the demonetization pitfalls.
This browser extension plants a tree for each of your Black Friday purchases
This browser extension plants a tree for each of your Black Friday purchases
If you already shop at places like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Macy’s, eBay, Best Buy, and more, the free TreeClicks Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox plugin can make your purchases count. For every purchase made through one of TreeClicks' 50,000 store partnerships, the company plants a tree.
How to stay safe and avoid scams while hunting for Black Friday deals online
How to stay safe and avoid scams while hunting for Black Friday deals online
The holiday season is upon us, which means more online shopping, but unfortunately, that also means more online scams. With more and more people looking for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals online, it’s essential to know how to stay safe from scams.
Web inventor Berners-Lee wants to save us from a digital dystopia
Web inventor Berners-Lee wants to save us from a digital dystopia
First he created the web. Now Tim Berners-Lee is creating a movement to save it. Working 80 organizations representing governments, companies, and civil society, his contract for the web aims to take it to a better place and stop the world from sliding into a "digital dystopia."
High-speed 5G to hit PCs in 2021 through Intel and Mediatek partnership
High-speed 5G to hit PCs in 2021 through Intel and Mediatek partnership
Intel and Mediatek have partnered to co-develop the implementation of 5G connectivity on PCs like laptops and desktops, with a third developer coming onboard for M.2 card development. This collective will ensure that by early `2021, PC users have access to the fastest cellular data connections.
OnePlus customer data stolen in second data breach in two years
OnePlus customer data stolen in second data breach in two years
Phone company OnePlus has suffered another data breach, with an undisclosed number of names, contact numbers, email addresses, and shipping addresses of customers having been stolen by an unnamed third party. This comes less than two years after up to 40,000 customers' information was stolen from OnePlus.
Google restricts targeting of political ads ahead of 2020 election
Google restricts targeting of political ads ahead of 2020 election
With scrutiny of major online platforms increasing ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Google has announced changes to the way it handles political advertising. It means that political campaigns will no longer be able to target ads based on a person's political leanings or data gleaned from public voting records.
Microsoft is testing out Gmail and Google Drive integration for Outlook.com
Microsoft is testing out Gmail and Google Drive integration for Outlook.com
Microsoft is apparently testing out a new Google account integration feature for its Outlook.com service. The new feature was first spotted by a Twitter user, and there are screenshots that shed a bit of light on how the feature will integrate Gmail, Calendar, and Google Drive into Outlook.com.
New update turns Google Earth into a free storytelling platform
New update turns Google Earth into a free storytelling platform
Google is rolling out new storytelling tools to Google Earth. The new creation features let you build stories and presentations that center around various places. You can arrange a series of locations in order and attach elements such as notes, pictures, and annotations to them.
Macy’s confirms hackers stole customer data from its website
Macy’s confirms hackers stole customer data from its website
Macy's says a small number of people who shopped on its website in October 2019 may have had their data stolen by hackers. Customers are being advised to check their statements for suspicious activity. The stolen data includes name, home address, phone number, email address, and payment card number.
Cyber Monday predicted to be most popular shopping day of Thanksgiving weekend
Cyber Monday predicted to be most popular shopping day of Thanksgiving weekend
New data suggests that this year’s Cyber Monday will be the biggest shopping day out of the whole Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Data reveals that 28% of people plan on shopping on Cyber Monday this year compared to 23% of shoppers who plan to brave the crowds on Black Friday.
Spotify ramps up podcast discovery with ‘Your Daily Podcasts’ playlist
Spotify ramps up podcast discovery with ‘Your Daily Podcasts’ playlist
With growing investments in podcasting as a medium, it only makes sense that Spotify would want its listeners to spend more time listening to podcasts. To make the podcats discovery process easier, it has launched a new personalized playlist just for podcasts: Your Daily Podcasts, available for free and premium users.
Facebook’s new, experimental Whale app lets you create your own memes
Facebook’s new, experimental Whale app lets you create your own memes
Facebook has released a new app called Whale that lets you create your own memes from scratch. The app debuted on the Canadian iOS app store last week, and comes with a standard set of annotation features that let you add elements such as text, emojis, and filters over images.
Internet shut down in Iran in response to large-scale fuel protests
Internet shut down in Iran in response to large-scale fuel protests
The "largest internet shutdown ever observed in Iran" is happening right now in response to ongoing protests sparked by a sudden rise in fuel prices late last week. The nationwide blackout appears to be an attempt by the Iranian government to prevent people from organizing protests and disseminating news of the unrest.
These are the best photography portfolio websites for showing off your work
These are the best photography portfolio websites for showing off your work
Looking to show off your latest photography work online? To save you the hassle, we've rounded up the best online portfolio solutions available. From simple drag-and-drop solutions to self-hosted content management systems, there's bound to be a portfolio setup just right for you.
Google Search can now teach you how to pronounce tricky words
Google Search can now teach you how to pronounce tricky words
A new Google Search feature shows you how to pronounce difficult or unusual words. It’ll even offer feedback if you practice the pronunciation by speaking it into the microphone. It also offers the phonetic spelling of the word and an animation that shows you how to move your mouth when saying it.
Amazon’s latest venture lets teachers buy and sell educational resources
Amazon’s latest venture lets teachers buy and sell educational resources
Amazon's latest venture gives K-12 educators across the U.S. the chance to buy and sell digital educational resources to others in the profession. Similar to Teachers Pay Teachers, the platform aims to ease the pressure on time-pressed teachers while offering others a way to make a few extra bucks on the side.
Pirates are using publishing platform Medium to distribute bootlegged movies
Pirates are using publishing platform Medium to distribute bootlegged movies
Scammers have been found to be abusing the publishing platform, Medium to distribute bootlegged copies of the latest movies such as Joker. The posts feature links to the video files and a range of search keywords. Most sources lead visitors to registration pages that demand credit card details.
Frustrated by slow websites? Google Chrome may have a solution
Frustrated by slow websites? Google Chrome may have a solution
It's no fun waiting for a slow website to load, so Google is planning a badge system that warns users when a page is likely to take a long time to appear. It's hoped the system will also nudge developers into optimizing their websites, making the web a less frustrating place for everyone that uses it.
Digital Trends Live: Facebook rebrands, Superman on glass, and more
Digital Trends Live: Facebook rebrands, Superman on glass, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Hanif Jackson discuss the biggest trending topics in tech, including hacking voice assistants with lasers, Facebook rebrands, Xiaomi’s smartphone, new data from Voyager 2, Microsoft archives Superman on glass, and more.
Emoji aren’t just symbols. They’re an ever-evolving digital language of emotion
Emoji aren’t just symbols. They’re an ever-evolving digital language of emotion
It's easy to dismiss emojis as cutesy and unimportant, but the truth is that they're revolutionizing the way we humans communicate. Emojis are now being used for an increasingly wide range of purposes, many of which are well beyond the slightly frivolous stereotype that still clings to them.