Here's what's making news today in tech — picked from the 10 sources I trust, translated for normal humans.
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36 million iPhone owners can soon get paid from $250 million Apple Siri lawsuit — how to claim your share
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a lawsuit claiming Siri recorded private conversations without permission, and iPhone owners who used Siri between 2014 and 2024 may qualify for a payment. Claims can be filed at the official settlement website, and the deadline has not yet passed. For Portage County: If you own an iPhone and used Siri in the past ten years, visit the Apple Siri settlement website to check if you qualify and submit a claim before the deadline.
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How to Use AI With Your Privacy Intact
AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Gemini store your conversations, and that data can be used for training or exposed in a breach. You can reduce your risk by turning off chat history in the settings of whichever AI tool you use. For Portage County: Never type your Social Security number, Medicare ID, bank account details, or passwords into any AI chatbot, even if the question seems harmless.
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OpenAI faces lawsuit from British Columbia over Tumbler Ridge shooting
The Canadian province of British Columbia has sued OpenAI, claiming the company failed to alert authorities after a user's chats revealed plans for a shooting in Tumbler Ridge. The lawsuit raises serious questions about when AI companies are responsible for acting on dangerous information shared in private conversations. For Portage County: This is a good reminder that AI chatbots are not confidential, and anything you type into them could be seen by the company or, in serious cases, shared with authorities.
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One Hidden Meta Muse Setting Could Let Attackers Turn the AI Assistant Into a Backdoor
A security researcher showed that malware already on a Mac can quietly hijack Meta's Muse AI assistant by changing a hidden setting, so your spoken words go to an attacker instead of the app. This requires the attacker to already have malware installed on your computer, but it shows how AI assistants can become a new target. For Portage County: Keep your Mac updated and avoid clicking suspicious links in emails, since the attack only works if harmful software gets onto your computer first.
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App Switcher Returns in watchOS 27.2 Beta With New Launch Gesture
Apple is bringing back the App Switcher in a watchOS beta after users complained it disappeared in the last update. The new gesture to open it is different from before, since the old double-press of the Digital Crown is now used for a new AI feature called Live Rewind. For Portage County: If your Apple Watch recently lost the ability to quickly switch between apps, a software update coming soon should restore it with a new gesture.
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Apple’s first live music venue is opening beneath its UK headquarters
Apple is opening a 600-seat live music venue called Apple Music Hall inside London's Battersea Power Station, set to open September 28. Concerts there will also be live-streamed for Apple Music subscribers around the world. For Portage County: If you pay for Apple Music, watch for free live concert streams you can enjoy from home on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV.
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iCloud storage notification glitch puts unremovable red badge on Settings app
Some iPhone users running the latest iOS are seeing a red badge on their Settings app demanding they buy more iCloud storage, even when they already have plenty of space. Tapping the alert just takes you to a purchase screen and the badge does not go away. For Portage County: If you see this on your iPhone, do not buy more iCloud storage. It is a known glitch, and Apple is expected to fix it in an upcoming update.
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How to turn your old Windows PC into a Chromebook for free
If you have an old Windows laptop that runs slowly, you can install a free program called ChromeOS Flex to give it a fresh start with a simpler, faster operating system. The process is free and does not require buying anything new. For Portage County: If you have an old laptop collecting dust, call Bill before you throw it out, since ChromeOS Flex might make it useful again for email, video calls, and browsing.
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WordPress Comment2Shell Flaw Can Turn Anonymous Comment XSS Into RCE via Admin Session
WordPress, the software that powers millions of websites, fixed a serious security flaw on September 17 that let a visitor's comment secretly plant a harmful script on a site. If a site administrator opened that page while logged in, the script could take over the entire website. For Portage County: If you or your church, club, or small business runs a WordPress website, log in and update to version 7.1.1 right away, or ask Bill to do it for you.
This digest is auto-generated daily at 6 AM ET from leading tech news sources.
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— Bill's Home Tech, Atwater, OH