Technology
Clean up your social media feed and cut the noise
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Scrolling used to be relaxing. Now it often feels chaotic. That is not a coincidence. Nearly everything you see on social media is controlled by algorithms that track what you like, watch, click and ignore. Over time, those signals get muddy. One curiosity click can reshape your feed for weeks. The solution is not deleting your accounts. It is retraining the system.
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10 SIMPLE CYBERSECURITY RESOLUTIONS FOR A SAFER 2026
Your social media experience starts the moment you tap an app, and every click helps shape what shows up next. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
How social media algorithms decide what you see
Algorithms pay attention to behavior, not intention. They track engagement patterns and repeat what keeps you scrolling. If your feed feels off, it usually means the algorithm learned the wrong lesson. Resetting your feed helps correct that.
Note: This article is written desktop-first (PC or Mac). When a step is phone-only or significantly different on mobile, it is clearly labeled.
How to clean up your Facebook Feed
Primary device: PC or Mac. Phone differences noted.
Use Content Preferences to retrain Facebook (PC or Mac)
Facebook’s feed is built around people, pages and groups you follow, plus recommended content and ads.
- Click your profile photo in the upper right
- Select Settings and Privacy > Content Preferences
From here, you can:
- Add people and groups to Favorites
- Snooze posts temporarily
- Unfollow accounts without unfriending them
- Reconnect with accounts you muted before
These tools are easiest to manage on a desktop.
Filter your Feed view (PC or Mac)
- To bypass the main algorithmic feed:
- Click Feeds in the left navigation
- Choose to view only Favorites, Friends, Groups, or Pages
This shows content chronologically within those categories.
Hide and flag posts as you scroll (PC, Mac and phone)
On any post in your Facebook feed:
- Click the three-dot menu in the upper right of the post
- Choose Hide post, Snooze, or Unfollow, depending on what appears
Hiding posts and snoozing or unfollowing accounts sends the same signal to the algorithm. Use these options often. Facebook responds more reliably to repeated negative feedback than occasional clicks.
For suggested posts and reels, you may also see Not interested. Selecting it further trains the feed away from similar content.
Cut down ads and sensitive topics (PC, Mac and phone)
When ads appear:
- Click the X to hide them
- Or use the three-dot menu to hide or report
For deeper control:
- Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings
- Open Account Center
- Click Ad Preferences > Customize ads
- Select See All next to Ad Topics
- Click View and manage topics
- Click the topic name
- Choose See less
- Repeat this for every topic you want to limit.
To block specific words in comments:
- Click your profile picture (top right on desktop)
- Settings & privacy → Settings
- In the left column, click Profile and Tagging
- Under “Profile,” look for Hide comments containing certain words from your profile and click on the arrow next to it.
- Choose a list of words, phrases or emojis you want to hide from your profile and type them in the box.
- Click Save below it.
Using a computer gives you deeper control over social media settings that are harder to find on a phone. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to clean up your Instagram feed
Primary device: Phone only
Instagram does not currently offer a reliable, universal option to reset its algorithm. Feed control on Instagram is manual and behavior-based. That means the app learns from what you hide, mute, unfollow and ignore.
Tell Instagram what you do not want to see (phone)
On posts that miss the mark:
- Tap the three-dot menu
- Select Not interested, Mute, or Unfollow, depending on what appears
Use this consistently. Instagram responds more to repeated signals than one-off actions.
Fine-tune who appears in your feed (phone)
Visit accounts directly and tap Following to manage how their content shows up.
From here, you can:
- Mute posts or stories
- Add or remove Favorites
- Restrict interactions
- Unfollow the account
These actions immediately influence future recommendations.
Review account-level controls (phone)
Open Settings and review:
- Muted accounts
- Blocked accounts
- Close Friends
Cleaning up these lists helps reduce clutter and repetitive content.
When a new Instagram account makes sense
If your feed still feels off after manual cleanup, starting fresh is the most effective reset.
To do this:
- Log out and create a new account
- Follow only accounts you truly want to see
- Avoid mass-following during setup
Instagram’s algorithm is heavily influenced by early behavior, so a slow, intentional start matters.
Some users may hear about an Instagram “reset” feature, but as of now, it is not consistently available across accounts.
Fine-tune who you see (phone)
Tap the three-dot menu on posts to unfollow or favorite accounts.
From any profile, tap Following to:
- Add Close Friend
- Add Favorite
- Mute posts or stories
- Restrict interactions
Unfollow
Under Settings, review:
- Muted accounts
- Blocked accounts
- Close Friends
Instagram’s feed is trained by what you hide, mute, and unfollow, not by a single reset button. (iStock)
How to reset your TikTok For You page
Primary device: Phone only
Train the feed gradually (phone)
- Press and hold on a video
- Tap Not Interested
Consistency matters here.
Remove past likes (phone)
- Go to Profile
- Tap the heart icon
- Unlike videos that may be influencing recommendations
Refresh the entire feed (phone only)
- Tap Profile
- Tap the three-line menu
- Go to Settings and Privacy > Content Preferences
- Tap Refresh Your For You Feed
- Confirm
This resets recommendations but keeps your following list.
For a total reset, unfollow accounts manually or start fresh with a new account.
TikTok’s For You page reacts quickly when you mark videos as not interested or clean up past likes. (iStock)
How to reset YouTube recommendations
Primary device: PC recommended
Clear or limit watch history (PC, Mac and phone)
On mobile:
- Tap You
- Tap the gear icon
- Select Manage All History
- Tap DELETE
On desktop:
- Click your profile photo
- Select Your Data in YouTube
- Open YouTube Watch History
- Click Manage History
- Click DELETE
From here, you can:
- Delete today
- Delete custom range
- Delete all time
Remove past feed feedback
Primary device: PC or Mac
This setting is easiest to access on a computer.
- Go to YouTube.com and make sure you are signed in
- Click your profile photo in the upper right
- Select Your Data in YouTube
- Scroll to the section labeled YouTube Watch History and click the right arrow
- Click Manage your YouTube Watch History
- Click Saving Your Watch History
On the history page:
- Scroll down until you see YouTube Customize Your Feed Feedback
- Click Delete to remove past feedback selections
This removes videos you previously told YouTube you wanted to see more of.
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Continue training the feed (PC, Mac and phone)
On individual YouTube videos:
- Click or tap the three-dot menu next to the video
- Select Not interested
Repeat this on videos that miss the mark. YouTube relies heavily on repeated feedback signals. This option is not consistently available on the YouTube mobile app. Use a computer for the best results.
Reset subscriptions (PC, Mac and phone)
Subscriptions heavily shape recommendations. Unsubscribe from channels you no longer watch. Rebuild your list intentionally.
YouTube recommendations are driven by watch history, search history, and subscriptions you may have forgotten about. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to reduce noise on X
Primary device: PC preferred
Adjust interests and ads (PC, Mac and phone)
- Click your profile icon.
- Go to Settings and Privacy
- Click Privacy and Safety
- Select Content You See
- Open Interests
Here, X lists topics it believes you are interested in.
- Uncheck interests you no longer care about
- There is no “unselect all” option
- Changes must be made one by one
This affects both recommended posts and ads.
Adjust ad personalization settings (PC, Mac and phone)
This is where “Ads Preferences” actually lives.
- Click or tap your profile icon
- Go to Settings and Privacy
- Select Privacy and Safety
- Scroll down and click Ads Preferences
From here:
- Turn off Personalized ads
- Review Ad categories and disable what you can
- Turn off Ads based on inferred identity, if shown
X does not allow full ad removal, but these steps reduce targeting.
Train the feed as you scroll (PC, Mac and phone)
On posts or ads you do not want to see again:
- Click or tap the three-dot menu
- Choose Not interested, Block, or Mute, depending on what appears
- Also:
- Unfollow accounts that no longer add value
- Block advertisers directly when possible
Repeated feedback matters more than occasional actions.
When starting a new X account makes sense
X’s algorithm is less forgiving than most platforms. If your feed feels irreparable, the most effective reset is:
- Creating a new account
- Following only accounts you truly want
- Avoiding mass follows early on
Early behavior heavily shapes long-term recommendations. X offers fewer feed controls than most platforms, so changes may feel slower and less dramatic.
Small, consistent actions on your phone can gradually retrain algorithms and reduce daily feed fatigue. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to clean up Threads
Works on PC, Mac and phone
Control what appears in For You
- On the For You feed:
- Click the three-dot menu
- Mark posts as not interested, mute or block
Use Hidden Words (PC and phone)
- Open Settings
- Go to Hidden Words
- Add words, phrases or emojis separated by commas
These filters apply across Threads and Instagram.
How to make LinkedIn useful again
Primary device: PC recommended
Switch to recent posts (PC and Mac)
- At the top of your feed, click Sort by: Top
- Change it to Recent
- To make it permanent:
- Go to Me
- Click Settings and Privacy
- Select Preferred Feed View
- Choose Most recent posts
- Click the left arrow to save
Reduce ad targeting (PC and Mac)
- Go to Settings and Privacy
- Open Advertising Data
- Select Interests and Traits
- Turn off categories you do not want
Aggressively train the feed (PC, Mac and phone)
On unwanted posts:
- Click the three-dot menu
- Select Not relevant or Not interested
- Under My Network, review Followers and Following and unfollow accounts that add noise.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Social media feels overwhelming when it runs on autopilot. A few minutes of cleanup can dramatically change what you see. Algorithms respond to clarity. The clearer your signals, the better your feed becomes. You do not need to quit social media to enjoy it again. You just need to take control.
If your feed reflects your behavior, what does yours reveal about how you spend your attention right now? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show
Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.
There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:
The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.
That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).
While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.
Technology
300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions
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Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.
They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.
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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What you need to know about fake AI extensions
Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.
Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.
These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.
While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:
- AI Assistant
- Llama
- Gemini AI Sidebar
- AI Sidebar
- ChatGPT Sidebar
- Grok
- Asking ChatGPT
- ChatGBT
- Chat Bot GPT
- Grok Chatbot
- Chat With Gemini
- XAI
- Google Gemini
- Ask Gemini
- AI Letter Generator
- AI Message Generator
- AI Translator
- AI For Translation
- AI Cover Letter Generator
- AI Image Generator ChatGPT
- Ai Wallpaper Generator
- Ai Picture Generator
- DeepSeek Download
- AI Email Writer
- Email Generator AI
- DeepSeek Chat
- ChatGPT Picture Generator
- ChatGPT Translate
- AI GPT
- ChatGPT Translation
- ChatGPT for Gmail
FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE
These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)
How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works
These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.
Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.
In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.
The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.
Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.
If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.
We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”
BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK
Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions
If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.
1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions
On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.
2) Change your passwords
If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.
3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords
A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.
4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active
Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
5) Use an identity theft protection service
Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.
6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated
Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.
7) Use a personal data removal service
Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaway
Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.
Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance
Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.
It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.
In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”
He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)
The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.
Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”
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