Watch to the end. I’ll tell ya. Make your guess now!
Automakers want to get rid of AM radio
When I was growing up, my dad worked for United Airlines, and I traveled a lot. I would always sneak a portable AM radio in my backpack, and as the plane crisscrossed the country, I would tune into various stations along the way. Never would I have imagined what that little hobby would become for me.
While FM radio listening is huge, AM radio is still massively important. When hurricanes knock FM stations off the air, AM stations are often more resilient.
AM radio is so crucial that FEMA is installing emergency studios, transmitters and generators at 77 mostly AM radio stations nationwide to maintain communications in the event of the worst (with special thanks to all ham radio operators!).
The car companies making decisions
You need to know several automakers told a Senate committee they’ll nix (or have already nixed) AM radios in all their vehicles. This includes BMW, Mazda, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, Volkswagen, Volvo, Porsche and Mercedes.
Ford has since reversed its decision (at least temporarily) after considerable negative feedback. Ford says no one listens to AM radio anymore. Huh?
Know the numbers
Every day in America, at least 4,185 AM radio stations broadcast news, talk shows, sports and other important programming. AM radio draws an audience of 82.3 million people — more than one in three American radio listeners — each month.
Get this: 57% of AM radio listeners tune into news/talk stations, the very outlets that carry breaking local news. Plus, in rural areas where FM radio signals are iffy, people rely on AM to stay plugged in.
Thanks to its long broadcast range, listeners can still tune into an AM station, regardless of where they are. Think about that the next time you’re road-tripping off the grid. So, why remove AM radios?
The REAL reason
Electromagnetic interference in electric vehicles. Because the electric motors in EVs throw off harmful static, AM radio quality suffers in an EV to the point where it’s unstable and unlistenable.
Delete this secret ID hiding on your phone that gives away your personal details
From social media platforms to email providers, tons of places on the web want to scoop up your private data. Don’t forget about online stores and personal services, either. Your details are major commodities to most online businesses, and many have little regard for your privacy.
Google's AI answers are a joke
The only way to truly delete iPhone pics, deepfake law written with help from ChatGPT, and a warning if your Samsung phone breaks.
It’s a scam: On Facebook, posts are popping up asking you to share photos of missing kids or folks in need. The goal is to get a ton of shares, and then the posts are edited to include malicious links. Spot the fakes: If it’s a real story, local news or law enforcement accounts will post about it, too.
$600,000 lost
After a homebuyer’s law firm was hacked. Now he’s suing them. Richard Bates hired the firm to help him buy a house. Hackers broke into their email and stole enough to trick Bates into wiring them his home payment. Bates says it wouldn’t have happened if his lawyers had basic cybersecurity like 2FA. Well, he’s not wrong.
You might be breaking the law online and not even know it
If you’ve ever uploaded a video to YouTube, you know how fast it will be flagged if there’s even a hint of a copyrighted song playing in the background.
If you’re shaking your head, you’re not alone. There are many things you shouldn’t do online. Some are just plain dangerous. Tap or click for five silly mistakes putting your online privacy and security at risk.
New law protects you from surprise medical bills after an emergency
You can’t escape medical expenses. Whether you are on regular medication or treatment, have an annual checkup or experience an unplanned visit to the doctor, the bills will follow.
You could be on prescription medication to treat a temporary ailment or a lifetime plan. Either way, you could be facing some hefty costs. Fortunately, there’s a way to save up to 80% on your prescriptions. Tap or click here to learn how.
Get your daily fiber
Fiber internet is fast, reliable and only touches about 43% percent of the U.S. Why isn’t it everywhere? The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is working to make that possible.
⚠️ Airbnb’s known about its hidden-camera problem for at least a decade: In a court-ordered deposition, an employee revealed when a guest complains about a hidden cam, Airbnb doesn’t notify law enforcement, even if a child is involved. They contact the host, settle out of court and make folks sign NDAs to keep it hush-hush. Think about that the next time you want to book an Airbnb.
Oh, snap: TJX, the parent company of T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods and Marshalls, is strapping body cameras on employees. After a year of testing, they’re hoping the cams stop shoplifters. They say only law enforcement or legal reps with a subpoena can view the footage.
Piece of mind: Colorado just became the first state to pass a brainwave privacy law as part of the Colorado Privacy Act. Any company with mind-reading gadgets needs your consent before snooping through your thoughts. Sounds good, but, in reality, how would we know?
The FCC investigates the sale of jammers on Amazon
Even though they’re against the law, you can find them online easily. Here’s what’s going on.
Everyone is suing Amazon
Plus, Andrew and Allie talk about Australia’s “Right To Disconnect” law, and how bosses there face jail time for emailing after hours. People using YouTube to fake work, and a super strange recruitment test from FedEx (it involves blue aliens).
Why does Shaquille O'Neal keep dodging the law?
Should celebrities be accountable for endorsing FTX? Let me explain why they ought to be in this one-minute podcast.
Facebook issues a strange legal warning about your posts - here's what it means
Facebook has a funny relationship with the law here in the U.S. The company has been mired in multiple controversies over the last decade ranging from antitrust investigations to election interference. Mark Zuckerberg himself has even testified before the U.S. Senate on behalf of his company.