The Weight of Technology – You are not alone.

Exploring background audio triggers, ultrasonic beacons, and passive-listening tech in modern devices. What do “background listening” and “ambient computing” mean? Ambient computing is the idea that computing recedes into your environment—speakers, TVs, cars, wearables—so tasks happen seamlessly with minimal user effort. It’s “a computer you use without knowing it.” That convenience generally requires always-available sensors,…

How sensor fusion, cached profiles, and predictive algorithms build a version of you—silently. Modern phones, laptops, and “smart” gadgets don’t wait for you to type, tap, or confess preferences. They infer. Motion sensors, radios, and system logs are fused together; cached profiles from past behavior are pulled in; and predictive models quietly guess what you’ll…

Many people report this scenario: they have an in-person conversation about a product or topic they’ve never searched online, and soon after they are shown an ad for that product on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or another platform. It’s natural to jump from that to the conclusion that the app must have turned on the microphone…

Short answer: No—simply being physically near other devices does not, by itself, make Facebook change what you see. Your ads, feed, and “People You May Know” (PYMK) are shaped by signals tied to your account and devices (your activity, your location settings, your uploaded contacts, your networks, etc.), not by passively “picking up” strangers’ tastes…

Short answer: No—YouTube doesn’t personalize your playlists or recommendations simply because other phones with different music tastes are physically nearby. Your Home feed, “Up Next,” mixes, radios, and auto-playlists are driven by signals like your own watch/listen history, searches, likes/dislikes, subscriptions, and explicit feedback—not Bluetooth or “who’s in the room.” Google Help+1 Below is a…

For over a decade, smartphones and digital devices have trended toward sealed designs, eliminating the removable battery — once a staple of mobile technology. Manufacturers claim this shift improves water resistance, efficiency, and design. While true, those explanations tell only part of the story. This article breaks down the full range of reasons — technical,…

We are told the internet never forgets — but the more uncomfortable truth is that it also refuses to stay online. Every search, swipe, selfie, and scroll leaves traces that drift into the physical world, quietly shaping how we are perceived, tracked, and even treated offline. The digital footprint has broken containment. What once lived…

By Jeremy Abram Most people worry about cybersecurity only when they step outside their home — coffee-shop Wi-Fi, airport hotspots, hotel networks. And that’s fair: public networks are risky. But what if the bigger threat isn’t at Starbucks, but already sitting quietly inside your living room? Today’s homes are packed with smart TVs, cameras, light…

When most people think about digital privacy, they picture hackers guessing passwords or someone sniffing traffic on public Wi-Fi. And while those are real risks, one of the most powerful threats doesn’t happen while you’re typing, browsing, or even actively holding your phone. It happens silently — in the background — with permissions you forgot…

by Jeremy Abram “The future will remember everything, and nothing.” — The Archivist, Fragment VII I. The Paradox of Infinite Memory Never before in human history has remembering been so effortless — or so meaningless. Our machines remember for us. Every photo, message, and stray thought finds its way into clouds whose scale rivals myth.…