So, you’ve finally decided to give Bluesky a shot. The social network has come a long way since the early bare-bones days of invite-only signups and recently grew past the 15 million user mark. Along the way, it’s gathered a lot of familiar posting platform features, like direct messages, pinned posts, and the ability to post videos up to 60 seconds in length.
Technology
Here’s some cool stuff you can do with Bluesky
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25735437/HT057_BLUESKY_CVirginia_A.jpg?ssl=1 "Here’s some cool stuff you can do with Bluesky")
But there’s a lot more to it than that, and I’m not only talking about lore. (Yes, Bluesky has lore, and that’s probably the most classic Twitter thing about it.) It’s also got a number of features and settings you won’t find on X or Threads, like the ability to choose your own algorithm or moderation tools. These serve not just as a fast lane to getting the platform to feel lively but can also create the feeling that you, the user, are in control of your experience.
Here’s a primer on getting up to speed on Bluesky.
Some basics
Bluesky’s Following feed is a simple chronological feed of posts from people you follow. But you can also customize whether it shows replies, reposts, quote posts, and / or samples from your custom feeds — setting all of these to “off” means your Following feed will only display posts from people you follow. You’ll find these options in Settings > Following Feed Preferences.
The platform also lets you decide how you’d like to see reply threads by going to Settings > Thread Preferences. Here, you can sort by oldest, newest, most-liked replies, or have them randomly sorted. (Bluesky also calls this “Poster’s Roulette.”) There’s an option to prioritize people you follow in a reply thread as well as an experimental Threaded Mode option for showing replies as Reddit-like nested threads.
Custom algorithmic feeds
While Bluesky offers two algorithmic feeds to start — “Discover” and “Popular With Friends” — things start to get a lot more fun when you get into custom feeds. Bluesky itself has made some, but most of the custom feeds are user-created.
These feeds are powerful, making it easy to find people who share your interests, see only certain types of content, or sort through your own posts. Want a feed of cat pictures? You got it. Interested in seeing which of your posts has done the best? You’ll want the “My Bangers” feed.
To check out the custom feeds:
- Tap the three lines icon in the upper left to summon the sidebar.
- In the sidebar, select Feeds.
- Search for a feed or scroll through them to pick the ones you like.
- Click or tap on individual feeds to preview them.
- To follow a feed from the Feeds page, click on the individual feed, select the three dots in the upper corner, and then select Save to my feeds. It will now appear at the top of your Feeds list.
- To follow a feed from Bluesky’s homescreen, tap Pin to Home at the top. Now, it will appear as a tab at the top of that screen.
Starter Packs
Another easy way to find Bluesky accounts to follow is Starter Packs. These are prepackaged lists of accounts, often chosen around a theme. Bluesky’s team has made some of these, but there are also thousands of user-made lists containing accounts that often post about specific topics or are part of certain groups. (The Verge even has one; you can find it right here.)
Bluesky hasn’t made Starter Packs searchable yet, so the only way you’ll find them is by searching outside of the platform (I like this directory), spotting them when they’re posted by other users, or having them sent to you. Once you find a Starter Pack you like, just click the Follow all button at the top of the screen to, you know, follow all of them, or select the Follow button by individual accounts if you’re feeling choosy.
And if you want to create your own Starter Pack, it isn’t difficult: Bluesky has directions right here.
Custom domains
Like Mastodon, Bluesky is a federated platform, except it uses AT Protocol instead of ActivityPub. As such, you can pick your own domain name suffix for your handle. You’ll need to either own that domain or get it from another service, such as Threads. A word of warning, though: once you’ve done this, your handle / domain name combo is now free for someone else to take. (Bluesky says that “any tags or mentions with your old handle will still point to your account,” though.)
To switch to a custom domain:
- Select Settings > Change Handle.
- Choose I have my own domain.
- Enter your domain, and select Copy Domain Value, which copies the string of text at the end of the record.
- Navigate to your domain registrar (the company you bought the domain from) and find an option labeled Manage DNS or similar.
- Add a TXT record and enter the record information you gathered from Bluesky. Note: this process differs between domain name providers, so you may need to look up instructions, such as the ones I’ve linked here for popular registrars GoDaddy and Squarespace.
- Once you’ve saved the record, wait a few minutes, go back to Bluesky, and select Verify DNS Record. A green banner in the Change Handle box will appear to let you know you succeeded.
Pinned posts
Like X and Threads, you can pin posts to the top of your account. Here’s how:
- Navigate to the post you want to pin.
- Select the three dots beneath the post.
- Select Pin to your profile.
Labelers
Bluesky’s moderation is buttressed by Labelers, which are third-party services that can tag accounts or content, either for informational purposes or for moderation. The tags are wide-ranging and can be used to hide things like posts with GIFs, crypto scammer accounts, brand accounts, or phobia triggers.
It goes far beyond that, though. Some use it as a convenient way to display or view pronouns, find fans of their favorite sports teams, and even play text-based games through Labelers like this TTRPG one. Each one differs in its use and usually offers instructions for using it. Also, Bluesky doesn’t currently have a built-in way to find Labelers, but there are lists and tools for that.
To use a Labeler once you’ve found one you like:
- Navigate to its Bluesky page.
- Select Subscribe to Labeler.
If it has a list of labels to customize, pick an option for each:
Off: to keep the label off.
Show badge: to see the label when applied to content or accounts.
Hide: to hide content or accounts with that label.
If you decide you want to change those selections later, you can do so by going to Settings > Moderation and selecting the Labeler from the Advanced section.
App Passwords
Bluesky lets you create passwords for other apps to use. This is helpful if you like to use apps — like third-party client Graysky — that take advantage of the Bluesky API but don’t want to give them your permanent password. Here’s how you can do that.
- Navigate to Settings > App Passwords (Under Advanced).
- Select Add App Password.
- Enter a name for the password or use the one Bluesky generates.
- If you want to let the app use direct messaging, tick the Allow access to your direct messages box. Note: you can’t change this option later; you can only delete the password and create a new one for that app.
- Select Create App Password.
Continue Reading
Amazon’s rolling out a free software update for Echo Hub devices that gives the home screen a much-needed update to the interface it launched with in 2024. It had already added Alex Plus AI support, but the new interface has a cleaner, fully customizable layout that fits more smart home info and controls on the screen than the previous version.
The Echo Hub is also getting access to Ring AI’s Video Search feature that lets you use natural language to search through your smart home camera footage, as well as Alexa Plus summaries of detected camera events.
These are the five new features Amazon highlighted for the Echo Hub:
Organize by r …
Read the full story at The Verge.
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The FBI calls it a “distress scam.” It is also known as a grandparent scam. The scam works by making an older adult believe a grandchild is in serious trouble and needs money right away, often before a court date or legal deadline. Victims reported more than $5 million in losses to this type of fraud in 2025. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center also noted that reported losses likely show only part of what scammers actually stole.
The Federal Trade Commission found in August 2025 that some of the fastest-growing scams targeting older adults use fear and urgency to override good judgment. A caller may claim your bank account was hacked and say you need to move your money immediately to protect it. However, the money does not move to safety. It goes straight to the scammer.
HOW TO HAND OFF DATA PRIVACY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS TO A TRUSTED LOVED ONE
AI voice-cloning tools have made these scams even more convincing. Scammers can use a birthday video, voicemail or social media clip to mimic a grandchild’s voice. Then they place the call. The voice sounds familiar, the emergency feels real and the request for bail money seems urgent. The FBI counted $352 million in AI-related scam losses among victims 60 and older this past year.
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Scammers are using stolen personal data, AI voice cloning and urgent phone calls to trick grandparents into sending money. (ljubaphoto/Getty Images)
What makes grandparents worth targeting
The same three pieces of data are required for identity verification at most banks, brokerages, pension recordkeepers, and Medicare: date of birth, last four digits of a Social Security number, and a current mailing address. For most people in their sixties and seventies, all of those accounts are open.
Those three fields have turned up in breach after breach. The Conduent Business Services breach pulled names, SSNs, dates of birth, and home addresses for more than 25 million Americans from systems that process Medicaid records and employer health plans. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called it the largest data breach in U.S. history in February 2026.
Americans between 65 and 74 held a median net worth of $409,900 in 2022, according to the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, more than ten times the median for adults under 35. The FBI found average losses of approximately $38,500 per victim among Americans 60 and older in 2025, nearly double the figure for younger filers.
Why elder fraud losses are often underreported
Older adults reported $2.4 billion in fraud losses to the Federal Trade Commission in 2024. However, the FTC’s December 2025 report to Congress estimated that real losses may have reached $81.5 billion that year. Most cases likely went unreported.
That gap makes identity theft harder to stop. A fraudulent wire from a pension account may never alert a bank. A new credit account opened with stolen information may not reach the victim until it appears on a credit report. By then, weeks may have passed since the application was approved.
Account protections worth setting up
Scammers move fast, so it helps to set up account protections before anything goes wrong. These steps can give banks, brokerage firms and family members more ways to spot trouble early.
1) Add a trusted contact to brokerage accounts
Brokerage accounts have a protection option many account holders never activate: a trusted contact designation. Under FINRA Rule 4512, brokerage firms must ask for a trusted contact when you open or update an account. A trusted contact can be a family member, attorney or accountant. The firm can contact that person if it suspects financial exploitation or cannot reach you. However, that person cannot trade, withdraw funds or view your account balances. FINRA, the SEC and the North American Securities Administrators Association asked investors in August 2025 to contact their firm and add one. You can name more than one trusted contact. You can also change the designation at any time.
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PHISHING SCAM TARGETS RETIREES
Families can help protect older adults by adding trusted contacts, verifying urgent calls and blocking online Social Security changes. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
2) Ask about holds on suspicious withdrawals
Under FINRA Rule 2165, brokerage firms can place a temporary hold on disbursements when they reasonably believe financial exploitation may be happening. That hold can last up to 55 business days. In January 2026, FINRA proposed extending the window to 145 business days. Ask any firm holding a pension, brokerage or annuity account about its policy on disbursements after an address change.
3) Verify urgent calls before sending money
When a caller claims a grandchild is in trouble or a federal agent needs immediate action, hang up. Then call back using a number you already have, not the number in the message. The FTC found that 41% of older adults who reported losing $10,000 or more to impersonation scams in 2024 said a phone call was the initial point of contact. That makes one simple habit especially important: verify the story before you act.
4) Block online changes to Social Security
Social Security lets you block electronic and automated telephone access to your account record. Once blocked, no one can change your direct deposit information or mailing address online or through the automated phone system. After that, any changes must go through a live SSA representative at 1-800-772-1213 or a field office visit. FINRA also operates a free Securities Helpline for Seniors at 844-574-3577, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
Identity theft recovery is harder on your own
Even strong account protections may not catch every scam attempt. That is why identity theft monitoring and recovery support can help families respond faster when personal information gets exposed or misused.
Some identity theft protection services monitor dark web marketplaces, data broker sites and people-search sites for exposed Social Security numbers, addresses and other personal information. If fraud happens, recovery support may help contact creditors, file disputes with the three credit bureaus and organize the documentation needed to restore an identity.
OUTSMART HACKERS WHO ARE OUT TO STEAL YOUR IDENTITY
Older Americans remain prime targets for identity theft because scammers can exploit exposed Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Some plans also include identity theft insurance for eligible recovery costs, such as lost wages and legal fees.
No service prevents every misuse of an older adult’s identity. However, family monitoring and fraud resolution can shorten the time between when theft happens and when you or someone in your family acts on it.
See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
Grandparents have become a prime target because scammers know where the money is and how to create panic fast. A familiar voice, a stolen Social Security number or a fake emergency can turn one phone call into a devastating loss. The best defense starts before the call comes. Add trusted contacts to financial accounts, block online Social Security changes, verify urgent requests through a number you already know and talk openly with family about scam warning signs. Identity theft protection can also help spot exposed personal information and speed up recovery if fraud happens. No family can stop every scam attempt. However, a simple plan can give older adults more time, more backup and a better chance of keeping their money safe.
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Is enough being done to stop scammers from using AI voices and stolen data to target grandparents? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Technology
A warrantless wiretap law is about to expire — but surveillance networks aren’t actually ‘going dark’
Congress has failed to pass a three-week extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), with the House voting 218-198 against reauthorizing the controversial warrantless wiretapping authority through July 2nd. After a short-term extension earlier this year, the spying program now appears set to lapse for at least a week. This is the nightmare scenario FISA’s proponents have been warning about — but it doesn’t actually mean the US has lost its surveillance capabilities.
Proponents of a clean extension claim a lapse will hinder intelligence agencies’ efforts to thwart potential terrorist attacks, with surveillance networks “going dark”. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) stressed the importance of reauthorizing Section 702 ahead of the World Cup. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said even a brief lapse would be disastrous. “Democrats in the Senate are playing political games right now with the lives of Americans,” he told reporters Wednesday. “It’s a very dangerous situation.”
In March, the FISA court recertified surveillance under Section 702 until 2027. The Brennan Center for Justice notes that a lapse won’t allow telecom companies to flout requests to hand over communications information to the NSA and other spy agencies. In 2008, after Yahoo failed to comply with a Section 702 request during a lapse, the FISA court ruled that the directives issued under Section 702 are effective while the certification is in place — even in the event of a lapse.
“The phrase ‘going dark’ is significantly misleading,” Andrea Sawka Fiegl, the senior policy director for media and technology at Common Cause, said on a Tuesday press call. Fiegl added that companies don’t choose whether they participate in surveillance under Section 702. If they don’t comply after being served with a directive, they face fines starting at $250,000 a day.
“The ‘going dark’ framing is basically a pressure tactic designed to strip Congress of its leverage to negotiate reforms by creating this false binary,” Fiegl said. “There is ample time for Congress to consider and pass reforms.”
Among those reforms are a warrant requirement for queries involving US persons, including so-called “backdoor searches” in which intelligence agencies identify a foreign target with ties to a US person, and then search that person’s communications, thus granting them access to their desired US target. Reformers also want to prohibit intelligence agencies from buying Americans’ data from private brokers to get around warrant requirements.
“Every day that Section 702 is in effect without reforms is a day that Americans’ rights are under threat,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said in a statement Wednesday night, after Senate Republicans blocked his request for a five-week extension of Section 702 with new transparency requirements. “If there is going to be an extension of these authorities, there needs to be some guardrails or at least some transparency that would allow Congress and the American people to understand the abuses that have taken place and the need for reforms.”
Though President Donald Trump and Republican leaders in both chambers have called for a clean reauthorization of Section 702, there’s bipartisan appetite for reform — and a handful of Republican holdouts stand in the way of a clean reauthorization. Most Democrats — even some who have supported reauthorization in the past — have objected to a clean extension due to Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence.
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