Technology
How to tame the barrage of stealthy social media notifications and regain control
If the number of emails, text messages and spam calls isn’t enough to deal with, suddenly you are inundated with an overwhelming number of notifications from your social media apps. At first, it seems exciting to be notified that people are showing interest in your profile or posts, but later, you realize that it was just a way to get you to open the app and engage with others.
While these notifications initially look personal or important, you may realize after clicking on a few of these alerts that they aren’t what they seem. Often they are simply notifying you of activity that other people in your social media “circle” may be up to on the platform and not necessarily about you or your actual post. Many social media companies are “pushing” these pseudo-relevant notifications in an attempt to get more engagement from their users.
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LinkedIn notifications (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Take back control: How to turn off notifications
If you’re tired of opening these notifications only to be distracted or disappointed, below are some ways to manage these potentially annoying notifications and put the power back in your hands.
Managing notifications on social media apps
If you want to adjust how often and what kind of notifications you receive from your social media apps, you can find the options in the app’s settings. Here are some examples of how to change notifications within the apps.
Facebook:
- On your smartphone, click Menu or your profile picture icon on the bottom right of your app
- Scroll down to Settings & privacy under your account and tap it. Then tap Settings
Managing Facebook notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Managing Facebook notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Click on Updates from friends or whichever notification you want to manage
Managing Facebook notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Toggle off the Allow notifications on Facebook
Managing Facebook notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- A pop-up window will confirm your choice. Click Turn off (then the toggle should be gray, not blue)
Managing Facebook notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Instagram:
- On your smartphone, click on your profile icon in the bottom right of the screen
- From your profile page, click on the three-line icon in the upper right corner
Managing Instagram notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Click Settings and privacy
Managing Instagram notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Managing Instagram notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Then you can pause all notifications for up to eight hours, or you can specify what kind of notifications you want to turn off
Managing Instagram notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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LinkedIn:
- On your smartphone, click on your profile icon in the upper left of the screen
- Scroll down and click Settings
- Click Notifications
Managing LinkedIn notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Select the area you want to manage notifications
Managing LinkedIn notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- For example, Click on Posting and commenting
- Toggle off Allow post related notifications
Managing LinkedIn notification (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
X:
- On your smartphone, go to Settings
- Go to Notifications
- Select Filters
- Select Muted notifications
Snapchat:
- On your smartphone, select Settings
- Select Notifications
- Turn off the different types of notifications you don’t want to receive
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Managing notifications on your Device
These social media companies are finding new, creative ways to get you to open their app and interact with its content. If going app to app and different types of notifications are overwhelming, you can also choose to control notifications from your device.
On the iPhone:
You can either manage notifications or set boundaries on your phone using the “Focus” feature.
To manage notifications or specific app notifications:
- Go to Settings
- Go to Notifications
- Scroll down and tap Announce Notifications and toggle it off, then hit the Back in the upper left
- Now scroll down and select the specific app you want to adjust the notifications. For example, if you want to stop notifications from the App Store – click it
Managing notifications on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Toggle off Allow Notifications if you don’t want to receive any or adjust to your preferences
Turn off allow notifications on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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To utilize the ‘Focus’ feature
How to use the “Focus” feature to customize your notifications and contacts on iPhone and Android.
iPhone:
- On your iPhone, go to Settings
- Scroll down and click Focus
- Select your preferred option: “Do Not Disturb,” “Sleep,” “Personal,” “Work”
- You can choose different preferences for who can contact you or what notifications you can receive under these specific options
- You can even schedule these different Focus options, so it automatically turns on
To utilize the Focus feature on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
On an Android:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
- On your Android, select Settings
- Click Notifications
- Under Most recent or Recently sent, find apps that recently sent you notifications
- Select the app you want to change the notification settings on
- Select the choice to toggle off the app’s notifications
Kurt’s key takeaways
You can’t control how social media apps will try to lure your attention away from your work and life and redirect it to their app. What you can control is whether they get your attention in the first place by controlling how and when you get notifications.
Are you willing to go app by app to adjust notification settings to your liking? Or will you control notifications directly from your device? Do you get a ton of notifications that you can’t even comb through? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Technology
Anthropic upgrades Claude’s memory to attract AI switchers
Anthropic is making it easier to switch to its Claude AI from other chatbots with an update that brings Claude’s memory feature to users on the free plan, along with a new prompt and dedicated tool for importing data from other chatbots. These upgrades could allow users who have been using rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini to quickly copy the data their preferred AI has collected on them and bring it over to Anthropic’s chatbot. That way, they don’t have to “start over” teaching Claude the context and history their previous chatbot already knows.
The option to import and export memories from Claude has been available since October, when Anthropic also rolled out the option for users to turn on Claude’s memory. Up until now, the memory feature was only available to users on paid Claude subscriptions, but now all Claude users can turn it on by going into “settings” then “capabilities.” This menu is also where users can find the new memory importing tool, which has users copy a pre-written prompt into their previous AI then copy the output from that prompt back into Claude’s importing tool.
Anthropic is introducing the upgraded memory importing tool as Claude is seeing a rise in popularity, driven by tools like Claude Code and Claude Cowork. Last month, Anthropic launched its new Opus 4.6 and Sonnet 4.6 models, which the company says are better at coding and completing complex tasks like working through a spreadsheet or filling out forms.
Anthropic has also been experiencing a spike in attention recently after pushing back against demands from the Pentagon to loosen the guardrails on its AI models, with the company stating publicly that they drew “red lines” around mass surveillance and fully autonomous lethal weapons.
Technology
Why the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug matters for data security
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You trust your email security settings for a reason. So when an AI assistant quietly reads and summarizes messages marked confidential, that trust takes a hit.
Microsoft says a bug in Microsoft 365 Copilot allowed its AI chat feature to process sensitive emails since late January.
The issue bypassed Data Loss Prevention policies that organizations rely on to protect private information. Put simply, emails that were supposed to stay locked down were being summarized anyway.
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Microsoft 365 Copilot’s work chat interface sits at the center of the issue after a bug allowed it to summarize confidential emails. (Microsoft)
Microsoft 365 Copilot bug summarized confidential emails
Microsoft says a coding error impacted Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, specifically the “work tab” feature. The AI assistant helps business users summarize content, draft responses and analyze information across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote.
Beginning Jan. 21, an internal bug labeled CW1226324 caused Copilot to read and summarize emails stored in Sent Items and Drafts folders.
The real concern runs deeper. Several of those messages carried confidentiality or sensitivity labels.
Companies apply those labels along with DLP policies to block automated systems from accessing restricted content. Despite those safeguards, Copilot still generated summaries.
We reached out to Microsoft, and a spokesperson provided CyberGuy with the following statement:
“We identified and addressed an issue where Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat could return content from emails labeled confidential authored by a user and stored within their Draft and Sent Items in Outlook desktop. This did not provide anyone access to information they weren’t already authorized to see. While our access controls and data protection policies remained intact, this behavior did not meet our intended Copilot experience, which is designed to exclude protected content from Copilot access. A configuration update has been deployed worldwide for enterprise customers.”
Why the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug matters for data security
AI tools feel helpful. They save time and reduce busy work. But they also rely on deep access to your data. When safeguards fail, even temporarily, sensitive content can move in ways you did not expect.
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For businesses, that could mean:
Legal discussions summarized outside intended controls
Financial projections processed despite restrictions
HR communications are exposed to automated analysis
Even if no data leaves the organization, the bypass itself raises concerns about how AI integrates with enterprise security systems.
Business users rely on Copilot to streamline work, but a recent bug raised concerns about how it handles sensitive email content. (Microsoft)
How Microsoft is fixing the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug
Microsoft says it began rolling out a fix in early February. The company continues to monitor deployment and is contacting some affected users to verify the fix works.
However, Microsoft has not provided a final timeline for full remediation. It has also not disclosed how many organizations were affected.
The issue is tagged as an advisory, which usually signals limited scope or impact. Still, many security professionals will want deeper clarity before feeling comfortable.
What this Microsoft 365 Copilot issue reveals about AI security
This incident highlights something many companies are wrestling with right now. AI assistants sit inside productivity platforms. They need access to email, documents and collaboration tools to work well.
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At the same time, those platforms contain your most sensitive information. When AI features expand quickly, security policies must evolve just as fast. Otherwise, even a small code mistake can create unexpected exposure.
The Copilot chat feature was designed to boost productivity, yet a code error let it process emails labeled confidential. (Microsoft)
Ways to stay safe after the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug
If your organization uses Microsoft 365 Copilot, here are practical steps to reduce risk:
1) Review Copilot access settings
Work with your IT team to confirm which folders and data sources Copilot can access.
2) Revalidate DLP policies
Test sensitivity labels and DLP (Data Loss Prevention) rules to ensure they block AI processing as intended.
3) Monitor advisory updates
Stay current on Microsoft service alerts and verify that the fix is fully deployed in your tenant.
4) Limit AI scope during investigations
If you have concerns, consider temporarily restricting Copilot features until verification is complete.
5) Train employees on AI boundaries
Remind staff that AI assistants can process drafts and send messages. Encourage careful handling of sensitive content.
6) Audit Copilot activity logs
Review audit logs to see whether Copilot accessed or summarized labeled emails. This helps determine actual exposure rather than assumed risk.
7) Review sensitivity label configuration
Confirm that confidential labels are configured to block AI processing where required. Misconfigured labels can create gaps even after a bug is fixed.
8) Reassess retention and draft policies
Because the issue involved Sent Items and Drafts, evaluate whether sensitive drafts should be stored long-term or deleted after sending.
9) Limit Copilot to specific user groups
Instead of enabling Copilot organization-wide, consider a phased deployment to departments with lower sensitivity exposure.
10) Conduct a post-incident security review
Use this moment to reassess how AI tools integrate with compliance controls. Treat it as a learning opportunity rather than a one-time glitch.
Pro Tip: This Copilot bug centers on enterprise controls. Even so, AI tools operate on your devices and accounts, so keeping software up to date and using strong antivirus software adds an important layer of defense. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
Considering a more private email provider
Enterprise AI bugs raise a bigger question: how much access should email platforms have to your data in the first place? If you want an added layer of privacy beyond mainstream providers, privacy-focused email services are worth exploring.
Some offer end-to-end encryption, support for PGP encryption and a strict no-ads business model that avoids scanning messages for marketing purposes.
AI WEARABLE HELPS STROKE SURVIVORS SPEAK AGAIN
Many also allow you to create disposable email aliases, which can reduce spam and limit exposure if one address is compromised.
While no provider is immune to software bugs, choosing an email service built around privacy rather than data monetization can limit how much of your information is accessible to automated systems in the first place.
For individuals, journalists and small businesses especially, that added control can make a meaningful difference.
For recommendations on private and secure email providers that offer alias addresses, visit Cyberguy.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
AI assistants are becoming part of daily work life. They promise speed, efficiency and smarter workflows. But convenience should never outrun security.
This Copilot bug may have a limited impact. Still, it serves as a reminder that AI tools are only as strong as the guardrails behind them.
When those guardrails slip, even briefly, sensitive information can move in unexpected ways. As AI becomes more embedded in business software, trust will depend on transparency, fast fixes and clear communication.
Here is the real question: If your AI assistant can see everything you write, are you fully confident it respects every boundary you set? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Samsung’s Digital Home Key lets you use your phone as your key
Just days after showing off the Galaxy S26, Samsung is finally rolling out the ability for users to unlock their home with a tap of their phone or by simply approaching their door. The new feature, called Digital Home Key, will live inside Samsung Wallet and is powered by the Aliro smart home standard.
Samsung first teased its Digital Home Key feature in 2024 and said the feature would be available in 2025. That didn’t pan out, as the CSA’s Aliro standard — which will let users unlock smart locks with any phone — only arrived in February of this year. The new standard uses near-field communication (NFC) for its tap-to-unlock technology. It also supports ultra-wideband (UWB), giving users the ability to unlock their door as they approach and without pulling out their phone.
To add a Digital Home Key to your wallet, you’ll need to set up a compatible smart lock through SmartThings using Matter. Only some Galaxy smartphones support both NFC and UWB, including the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and up, as well as the Galaxy S22 Ultra and up. You can view the full list of compatible devices on Samsung’s website.
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