AI & Security
AI tools and scams, privacy and security for your phone, laptop and accounts: what’s true, what’s hype and what to do.
- What happens to your passkeys if you lose your phone?Usually nothing is lost. Passkeys saved to iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager, Microsoft Password Manager or a password manager like 1Password are backed up and come back when…
- Does dialing *#21# tell you if your phone is hacked?No. Dialing *#21# only tells you whether your incoming calls are being forwarded to another number, and if so, which one. It can't see spyware, a hacked account…
- Someone asked for my Google Voice verification code: what now?If you haven't sent the code, don't. If you already have, it's fixable in a few minutes. The scammer most likely used it to set up a Google…
- Got a data breach notice letter? What to do nextDon't panic, and don't call any number in the letter until you've checked it's real. A breach notice means your information was exposed, not that anyone has used…
- What happens if you click a link in a scam text?If you only tapped the link and closed the page, your phone is very likely fine, as long as its software is up to date. The real damage…
- Can ChatGPT see my other chats?Yes, it can, if Memory is on. With the Reference chat history setting switched on, ChatGPT pulls relevant details from your past conversations into new ones, and it…
- How to turn off Meta AI in WhatsAppYou can't turn Meta AI off in WhatsApp. As of October 2026, WhatsApp's Help Center describes no setting that removes the Meta AI button or the "Ask Meta…
- Does deleting ChatGPT history actually delete it?Mostly yes. When you delete a ChatGPT chat, it disappears from your account at once and OpenAI schedules it for permanent deletion from its systems within 30 days,…
- What happens when you hit the ChatGPT free limit?You can keep chatting. As of October 2026, OpenAI says Free users have "unlimited everyday text chats", subject only to abuse safeguards. The limits you hit are on…
- Why is Apple Intelligence not showing up on my iPhone?Apple Intelligence usually goes missing for one of five reasons: your iPhone isn't a supported model, it isn't on iOS 27 yet, the Siri and device languages don't…
- How to check a laptop for a keyloggerStart with the tools already on the laptop. On Windows, run a Microsoft Defender offline scan and review your startup apps. On a Mac, check which apps are…
- Is Adobe Flash Player still safe to use?No. Adobe stopped supporting Flash Player on December 31, 2020, has issued no security patches since, and has blocked Flash content from running in its player since January…