Is Meta really reading your DMs?

Plus: iOS 26.1 changes, tap-to-pay scam scare & miles for Lyft rides

Nov 08, 2025

Dear Friends,

Thanks for reading my newsletter!

You know I try not to clutter your inbox, but I did send an extra email this week. It hit me that I answer a lot of tech questions over email — and many of those answers could help more people. So I channeled my inner “Dear Abby” and compiled a few into a bonus issue. Nearly everyone who voted said they liked it, so I may keep that going.

This week I got my hands (eyes?) on the new Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses — the ones with a tiny screen built into the lens. They’re surprisingly well done for a first-generation product: cool, useful, and full of potential as the design and software evolve.

For what it’s worth, I still love the less expensive Ray-Ban Meta glasses — the version without a display. (Yes, they switched the naming convention — don’t ask me why!)

These glasses have a tiny camera, microphone, and built-in speakers, making them great for asking AI quick questions, capturing POV photos and videos, listening to music, or taking calls on the go.

Let’s talk privacy

Whenever I start getting a flood of messages about the same topic, I know it’s something I need to address.

This week, it was a viral post claiming that Meta will start reading your DMs on December 16 — every conversation, every photo, every voice message — all supposedly fed into AI and “used for profit.” It even included a list of “privacy steps” that didn’t actually match anything I could find in Meta’s settings.

So what’s really happening?

Meta did announce an update that starts December 16, 2025 — but it’s not about reading your private messages. The change involves how Meta uses your interactions with Meta AI, which is built into Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Those chats with the AI assistant will now help personalize your recommendations and ads.

There is no way for U.S. users to opt out of this.

Meta’s been doing a version of this for years — using what you post, like, and share to shape what you see in your feed. It’s why Instagram can instantly suggest a song for a reel or tag a friend in a photo. But this new update only includes your conversations with Meta AI — not your private chats with friends or family.

In fact, WhatsApp and Messenger use end-to-end encryption, which means even Meta can’t read your messages if it wanted to. Instagram DMs aren’t fully encrypted yet, but Meta only accesses them for legal reasons.

And if you made it to the end of that viral post, you probably noticed the “privacy scan” it tries to sell you. That’s the real motive. It’s using fear of Meta’s update to push a product — something you can easily skip by using a legitimate free tool like Have I Been Pwned to check your own data exposure.

So where do I stand on privacy?

Every free service — Facebook, Google, even ChatGPT — runs on the same model: your data funds the experience. When you’re not paying for the product, you are the product. That’s how the internet economy works.

Personally, what I share on social media is pretty ordinary — friends, family, photos. Meta’s goal is to sell me stuff, and to be honest, they’re already pretty good at it. The ads I see are often things I actually want. That’s marketing 101.

Still, protecting yourself online matters. Here’s how I think about it:

Be aware of what’s private versus what’s public.
Before you post or send anything, assume it could live online forever.
Don’t log into random Wi-Fi networks for banking or personal accounts — use your cellular data or a secure home network.
For sensitive searches or temporary chats, try tools like Firefox Focus or temporary chats in ChatGPT.
Watch out for malicious ads, sketchy browser extensions, and phishing scams — they’re often a bigger threat than Meta’s privacy settings.
Use a secondary email or Google Voice number for sign-ups.
Review settings for every app you use and turn off optional data collection.
Consider a VPN with built-in threat protection, like Nord, for extra security.
In AI tools such as ChatGPT, turn off “training on your data” in settings if you don’t want your conversations used for improvement.

The key takeaway: Be conscious of what you share, how you share it, and where it goes.

That’s the real foundation of online privacy — awareness and a few smart habits.

If you’re curious about your own privacy settings, Meta has a Privacy Center where you can review what data is collected and how it’s used. Google offers a Privacy Checkup that walks you through your settings step by step. Both are worth a quick visit — especially if it’s been a while since you last looked.

A sneak peek at the LA Auto Show

Growing up just outside New York City, I have great memories of going to the auto show with my dad. What’s not to love? Rows of shiny cars, new tech everywhere, and zero pressure to buy — unlike at a dealership.

With the LA Auto Show right around the corner, I got a sneak preview of what’s coming. Among the highlights: Lucid is showing off a new, more affordable version of its luxury SUV, and a startup called Sparq is showing off their plug-in device that lets you actually chat with your car using AI — asking about maintenance, repairs, and more.

From YouTube to coffee shop

While I was in New York City recently, I stopped by a special coffee shop with a tech twist. It’s run by YouTuber David Cogen, better known online as The Unlockr.

In his videos, Cogen always started with a cup of coffee and the phrase “coffee check.” It became a fan favorite — so much so that when he skipped it, viewers noticed. Since he’s a real coffee lover, he decided to turn that catchphrase into something bigger.

Now he’s opened Coffee Check, a Brooklyn café that doubles as a creator hub. Behind the coffee bar, there’s a podcast studio, a video studio, a kitchen set, and plenty of gadgets to test. It’s a great example of how an online passion can turn into a full-time business — and yes, he’s still making videos.

iOS 26.1 update fixes bugs and tones down Liquid Glass

If you’ve updated to iOS 26 and aren’t loving the new Liquid Glass look, there’s now a way to tone it down.

I’ve been hearing from plenty of people saying iOS 26 hurt their battery life. Apple usually points out that performance can dip for a couple of days after a major update while your phone re-indexes files in the background. That’s likely what’s happening for most users. But if battery drain continues, try updating to iOS 26.1 — it smooths out early bugs and should help stabilize things.

The headline change here is the new option to turn off or reduce the Liquid Glass effect. Once you’ve installed the update, go to:

Settings → Display & Brightness → Liquid Glass, then choose Tinted instead of Clear. Tinted keeps the look but makes it less transparent and easier on the eyes.

A few other tweaks worth checking out:

Camera shortcut control: If you constantly open your camera by accident, go to Settings → Camera and scroll down. You can now turn off the lock-screen swipe to open Camera. I personally like that shortcut, but it’s nice to have the choice.
Alarms: Instead of tapping to stop an alarm, you’ll now swipe — similar to the old “slide to unlock” gesture.
Accessibility: Under Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size, there’s a new Show Borders option. It outlines buttons and key features, making them easier to see — especially if you’re using the Liquid Glass interface.

Overall, iOS 26.1 is a solid refinement — fewer bugs, better control over design choices, and some thoughtful accessibility improvements.

Tech Tidbits

United + Lyft: You can now earn United MileagePlus miles for every Lyft ride. Link your accounts in the Lyft app to start collecting.

Moving made smarter: A new AI-powered site called NewLife lets you compare cities side by side — everything from cost of living and housing to weather and lifestyle factors.

AI on your finger: The new Stream Ring acts like a voice-to-note smart ring, recording thoughts and reminders through a built-in mic. Personally, I’ll stick with Whisper Memos, which already works great on Apple Watch and iPhone.

Satellite 911 for all: T-Mobile now lets anyone sign up for Satellite 911 emergency texting for FREE, even if you’re not a customer.

AI video app: Sora, a TikTok-style platform where every video is AI-generated, is now available on Android — no invite required.

WhatsApp on your wrist: The long-awaited WhatsApp Apple Watch app is finally here, bringing notifications and quick replies right to your wrist.

Are you listening to my podcast?

I’ve noticed there’s still a little confusion between my radio show and the podcast, so here’s the quick breakdown.

My radio show is a live broadcast on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. I’m in the studio taking live caller questions, breaking down the week’s tech news, and sharing the stuff I think you really need to know. It airs on stations across the country, including 710 WOR in New York City on Sunday nights.

That live show then becomes the Rich on Tech podcast — the same show, just available on demand. You can listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you’re not already subscribed, I highly recommend it. And if you’re a paid subscriber to this newsletter, you’ll get a special ad-free version of the podcast with higher-quality audio.

Feedbag: Phone-to-phone scam scare

Jahy in Manassas Park, VA writes in:

Two young guys at Walmart brought an iPhone close to mine, and both phones made a sound. They laughed and said they’d just taken $30 from my account, then ran off. Online, some people say they could’ve stolen my credit info — others say it’s just a prank. What’s really going on?

That would definitely freak anyone out, but don’t worry — this sounds like a prank, not a scam. Bringing two iPhones close together usually triggers NameDrop, which plays a sound when phones connect to share contact info. It can’t steal money, card data, or anything else from your phone or wallet. Your accounts should be safe, but if you want extra peace of mind, check your Wallet app and bank accounts for any suspicious activity.

Got a question you want answered? Call the live show Saturdays, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. PT at 1-888-RICH-101 (1-888-742-4101) or email me here.

That’s gonna do it for this week, but before I go…

I’m currently listening to the book 1929, which dives deep into the stock market crash of the century. There’s a great quote in it from John Raskob, an executive with DuPont and GM — and the man who backed the Empire State Building. He said, “Go ahead and do things, the bigger the better.”

I love that mindset. I’ve always believed in thinking big — and while it may not always work out perfectly, it’s that kind of optimism that keeps you moving forward.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Rich

Rich on Tech