AI/Privacy
Meta vows to clean up its advertising, by removing ads that recruit anti-Meta consumers
The Facebook/Instagram parent is fed up with being sued for its habit-building apps
James R. Hood
James R. Hood, an editor and consumer-affairs journalist with more than five decades of experience, has held senior editorial leadership roles at The Associated Press, United Press International, Zapnews and ConsumerAffairs.
AI/Privacy
TSA quietly fed immigration arrests, new report finds
TSA data helped ICE arrest 800+ people — far more than previously known
AI/Privacy
Our outraged editor tests Meta's Ray-Ban glasses and finds them more than adequate
Everything worked a bit better than expected, but an alert waiter was quick to call us out
AI/Privacy
Meta scams surge across Facebook and Instagram, costing users billions
Fraudsters are flooding Meta Platforms apps with fake ads, impersonation schemes, and AI-driven scams
TSA pay crisis drags on as funding fight stalls, raising risk of renewed airport delays
White House order restored pay temporarily—but long-term funding remains unresolved
AI/Privacy
Iran declares Big Tech data centers military targets, raising global legal and consumer risks
Experts warn risks could ripple into banking, health systems, and everyday digital services
Money
Taxtime blues? There are cheaper alternatives to TurboTax that can save you $125 or more
TurboTax advertises "free" tax returns but many consumers wind up paying hefty add-on fees for extras they didn't anticipate. We found some worthwhile alternatives.
Health
New COVID variant spreads to dozens of states
Health officials are watching the variant, which displays 'unusual' behavior
Money
Prediction markets, like Kalshi, are becoming the latest state-federal battleground
There are big-money interests on all sides; if you're betting put your money on the lobbyists
Health
Xylazine - "tranq" - spreads in U.S. drug supply, driving new risks
A veterinary sedative known as “tranq” is now widely mixed into fentanyl and other street drugs
TMZ turns Capitol Hill into tabloid fodder
Celebrity news site tries to shame Congress into acting on DHS funding standoff
Money
Natural gas prices climbing, as U.S. boosts exports
Affordability seems to have been neglected, leaving consumers to pick up the tab