Happy tech Thursday, friend! Let’s kick off this party with trivia. Khaby Lame has the most-followed account on TikTok. About 62 million folks tune in to watch him poke fun at overly complicated life hacks. How much money did he make from brand deals in 2023? Is it ... A.) $8 million, B.) $12 million, C.) $16 million or D.) $20 million? Make your best guess, and you’ll find the answer at the end!

Support our sponsors. Today’s newsletter is brought to you by StartMail. Their email service revolves around your privacy, not collecting and selling all your data. Can’t say that for Big Tech companies. Now, on to the news! — Kim

Well, well, well … What do we have here? Another tech giant selling your data to make a buck? Shocking, I know.

This time, it’s PayPal. Through the new PayPal Ads network, the company plans to tap into customer transactions to supercharge targeted ads. This feels pretty darn gross if you’re using it to run a business, buy things you don’t necessarily want filling up your ad feed, or you just know your data's being sold to who-knows-who for who‑knows‑why.

Let's dive into what PayPal's up to and how to protect your privacy.

Sorry, (Pay)Pal

PayPal is one of the most popular payment-processing apps out there. And through the PayPal Ads service, businesses can pay to access "the information PayPal knows about people" to target exactly who they want.

The tool allows them to push out discounts and promotions to users based on their spending history. Talk about invasive.

That's right, companies will be able to pay for data about your PayPal account, including your purchase history. I don’t like the sound of that, and I bet you don’t, either.

Smart steps

You can’t just opt out. Believe me, I looked. The only way to tell PayPal to erase your data is to close your account entirely. Follow these steps to submit a PayPal "erasure request."

It's worth noting there's some shady language in the request process. For instance, PayPal says personal info will be erased "after the required retention period has expired."

When is that? Retention periods vary based on federal, state and local laws, so it’s as clear as mud. You might be looking at years, though.

💸 Bottom line: I can’t stand when companies take what once was protected info and sell it to anyone willing to pay. If you use PayPal, really consider whether this intrusion is worth it to you.

Speaking of, why can't the Vatican accept Visa or Mastercard? Because it's a Papal state. (Oof, sorry … That one even made me groan.)

When a service is free, you're the product. Email providers like Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook aren't really free. You’re constantly paying with your privacy. From where you are to what you click, they know it all.

StartMail is the secure alternative email provider I trust. It’s free from invasive tracking and ads and packed with privacy features, like unlimited disposable email addresses and encrypted communication. Plus, you get a generous 20GB of storage.

Switching to StartMail is a breeze. They have an easy-to-use migration tool that seamlessly transfers your mail and contacts. And I negotiated a special deal just for you! Right now, StartMail is offering an exclusive 50% off annual subscriptions.

Under attack: During the first quarter of 2024, nearly 38% of phishing attacks happened on social media. You never know where that link will lead to. Protect yourself with antivirus software on all your devices.

🔍 App traps: Over 90 apps with a combined 5.5 million downloads were spotted hiding malware in the Google Play Store. At the top of the list are PDF Reader & File Manager and QR Reader & File Manager, both packing the Anatsa banking Trojan that steals financial info. If you downloaded a compromised app, do a factory reset on your phone ASAP.

Everything but your autograph: Ticketmaster was hacked, with cyber thieves snagging 500 million customer details. That includes names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, financial details and full order histories, now up for sale on a sketchy dark web forum for a cool $500,000. Get ready for a spam influx, and be extra cautious of what links you click from an email or text.

Blessing in disguise: Back in 2013, a guy lost access to his digital crypto wallet filled with 43.6 bitcoin. The file with his 20-character password got corrupted, and it seemed like the money was lost forever. Fast-forward to now: Some very smart hired help cracked the code, and the guy’s now sitting on nearly $3 million. Bet he’s really glad he didn’t sell early.

📱 Class-action payday: Did you have an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus between Sept. 16, 2016, and Jan. 3, 2023? You might be $350 richer soon. To qualify, you need proof you reported audio issues to Apple and/or paid them for replacements or repairs. If that’s you, download, print and mail this form by June 3.

Livin’ the dream: Elon Musk is doubling down on his prediction about AI replacing humans, but this time, his outlook is less gloomy. He says there’s an 80% chance we’ll have universally high incomes, no one will have to work, and there’ll be no shortage of goods and services. What are the odds it’s because he’s the one selling it?

👕 Toxic threads: Millions of clothing items from cheap Chinese retailer Shein are packed with toxic chemicals linked to cancer, autism and infertility. They're sold on Amazon under different names, too, with some containing over 400 times the safe levels. Check your clothes: Drop a bead of water on the fabric. If it stays beaded up, rolls around and leaves no residue, you have a problem. Return or trash it.

Mom needs to be a mom: Instead of being strong with her 12-year-old son, an Ohio mom is suing the makers of Fortnite and the Madden NFL game series over her son's gaming addiction. He's glued to the screen up to 10 hours a day (paywall link), leading to severe emotional distress, a shrinking friend circle and serious anger flare-ups. PSA: Take away the gaming console, put the kid in counseling and grow a set.

The essentials: Maybe you’re a keyboard master. Congrats! Shortcut newbies, start working these into your repertoire. (On a Mac, use Cmd instead of Ctrl.) Try Ctrl + A to select all, Ctrl + X to cut and Ctrl + P to paste, Ctrl + Z to undo, and Ctrl + Y to redo. Go forth and save time!

Didn’t want you to hear that: When you use Bluetooth to take a phone call in the car, the sound leaks like crazy. Before you say something really embarrassing while sitting in a parking lot (“Doctor, this rash is all over my …”), turn the volume way down.

Made a mistake while typing a text or email? Just give your iPhone a quick shake. A prompt will ask if you want to “Undo Typing.” Tap Undo, and like magic, your last action is reversed. Cool beans!

Dear Kim: FutureMe allows you to write a letter to your future self about anything in life. Choose when you want to receive it (from six months up to 10 years), hit the Send to the Future button, and bam — all set.

Share Amazon Prime (and the bill) with someone you live with: Go to your Amazon account settings. Click the Amazon Household option. That's where you can add another person and share your Prime benefits with them.

Father’s Day is June 16, and Dad deserves something nice. I found some great gifts for him at great prices. Today: Shaving stuff.

You’ll find the answer below.

The answer: C.) $16 million. Holy heck. Khaby went from working in a factory to owning luxury cars and homes — the ultimate rags-to-riches story. Talk about a life hack.

Inbox a mess? Sometimes you just need to start fresh. My pick for privacy-first email is StartMail. Keep your old address and spin up a new one for only your favorite folks and emails (like mine!). You’ll be glad you did when you can read in peace without all the spam and junk.

Give up? In today’s “What the tech?” above, the word “find” is misspelled. See you back here tomorrow with a crazy question that landed in my inbox: “Kim, is my husband cheating on me with an app?” Until then, stay your awesome self! — Kim