Tech/Gear

Leaving class for a quick bathroom break now comes with a timer for many students in New York City.A digital hall pass system called SmartPass is rolling out across public schools. It replaces the old paper pass with a digital one. Students sign out on a classroom iPad. Then the system tracks how long they are gone.On paper, it sounds efficient. In practice, it is stirring strong reactions.Sign up for […]

The Social Security Administration and its Office of Inspector General issued warnings during their March 2026 "Slam the Scam" campaign, citing the continued volume of impersonation fraud tied to Social Security. Federal data shows these scams remain widespread; more than 330,000 government impersonation complaints were reported to the FTC in 2025. That's a 25% increase from the year before.Losses tied to these scams reach into the hundreds of millions of […]

A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to draw a clear line on where certain robots may operate in the United States. Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) recently introduced legislation that would ban the federal government from using robots made by foreign adversaries, a category that includes China but can also apply to other designated countries.The proposal, called the American Security Robotics Act, targets unmanned ground systems. That […]

If you've ever trusted your bank to keep your financial data safe, this incident will hit close to home.A behind-the-scenes tech company used by banks has revealed that more than 672,000 people had sensitive personal and financial information stolen in a ransomware attack. That includes details that criminals can use to drain accounts, open loans, or impersonate you.What makes this more concerning is that the company is not a household […]

If you've ever wandered through an airport struggling to find your gate, something to eat or a place to charge your phone, this could make things a lot easier.At San José Mineta International Airport in California, travelers can now get help from a humanoid robot named José. It greets passengers, answers questions and helps people find their way around the terminal.You'll find it in Terminal B near Gate 24, where […]

You might think the biggest danger online is downloading a virus or giving away your password. But a new phishing trick shows how attackers can take control of your computer without either of those things happening. Security researchers recently uncovered a fake Google Meet update page that looks convincing enough to fool many people. All it takes is one click on a button that says "Update now."  Instead of installing an […]

Money can start to feel tight faster than you expect. It is not always one big expense. More often, it is a series of small charges that quietly add up over time.When that happens, it is easy to think you need a major reset. You don't. In many cases, the fastest way to create breathing room is to stop paying for things that are not adding real value to your […]

If you are building a home, renovating a property or applying for a zoning permit, there is a new scam you need to watch for. The Federal Bureau of Investigation says criminals are impersonating city and county planning officials in a phishing campaign designed to trick victims into paying fake permit fees.The messages often look very convincing. A typical fake scam email might look like the one below. In many […]

If you've ever gotten a suspicious text, a fake delivery alert or a message that felt just a little too convincing, you've already seen how fast scams are evolving. Now, some of the biggest names in tech and retail are scrambling to catch up.Eleven major companies across those industries, including Google, Amazon, OpenAI, Adobe, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Match Group, Meta, Microsoft, Target and Levi Strauss & Co., have signed a new […]