The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments on a case involving funding for a major broadband subsidy program, the Universal Service Fund (USF).

SCOTUS granted cert in a pair of cases called Federal Communications Commission v. Consumers’ Research, and Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition v. Consumers’ Research, which were consolidated for oral arguments. They center around whether Congress inappropriately delegated lawmaking function to the FCC by letting it set contribution rates for telecommunications companies to pay into the nonprofit Universal Service Administration Company, which manages the USF. It also asks whether the FCC delegated too much authority to a private entity by letting USAC manage the subsidy program.

The case could deal another blow to the regulator’s authority, after SCOTUS dismantled the Chevron doctrine earlier this year, which diminishes courts’ reliance on agency expertise. It could also jeopardize the USF, which helps provide funding for people who are low-income or in rural areas access telecommunications and broadband services, and also helps school get internet access and equipment.

The case reaches the Supreme Court after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the funding arrangement around the USF violates the Constitution. The Supreme Court asked the parties to also file briefs about whether the case is moot since the challengers didn’t seek preliminary relief before the appeals court.

Three industry groups — NTCA, Competitive Carriers Association, and USTelecom —applauded the court’s decision to hear the case, and said the Fifth Circuit’s ruling in the case defies Supreme Court precedent and other circuit court decisions. The Fifth Circuit decision “threatens to undermine universal service programs that, for many decades, have served to promote the availability and affordability of critical communications services for millions of rural and low-income consumers, rural health care facilities, and schools and libraries across the nation,” they said in a joint statement.

Have you ever wished you could save that important conversation or hilarious chat with your bestie? 

Well, you’re in luck. Here’s a nifty trick to record phone calls right on your Android device. If you have an iPhone, you can learn how to record calls using these steps. 

Let’s dive in.

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The setup: enabling call notes 

First things first, let’s get your phone prepped for recording:

 Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

• Open up your Phone app.
• Tap those three little dots in the top right corner.
• Click Settings.
• Tap Call Notes.
• Now, just toggle that switch to enable Call Notes.

Steps to enable Cal Notes. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Recording your call

Now that you’re all set up, here’s how to actually record a call:

 Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

• Start a call like you normally would.
• Look for the “More” button and tap it to expand your options.
• See that “Call Notes” option? Tap it to start recording.
• Both you and the person you’re talking to will hear a notification that says, “Google Notes is on the call is being recorded.”

Steps to record a call. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Ending the call recording

When you’re done chatting:

 Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

• Just hit that “End Call” button like usual.
• Your recording will stop automatically.
• You’ll get a notification confirming that your call has been saved.

Steps to end the call recording. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Finding your recorded calls

So, where did that recording go? Don’t worry, it’s easy to find:

 Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

• Open up your Phone app again.
• Tap on the “Recents” tab.
• Find the call you just recorded and give it a tap.
• Look for the “Call Notes” section — you’ll see a summary and a link to your recording.
• Tap that link to play or send your newly recorded call by tapping the share icon.

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Steps to find the recorded call. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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The legal lowdown: Know before you record

Alright, before you get all excited and start recording every call like you’re a secret agent, let’s have a quick chat about the legal stuff. You see, recording calls isn’t as straightforward as picking up your phone and hitting ‘record.’ Different places have different rules. In the good ol’ US of A, it gets even trickier. Some states are like, “Hey, as long as one person knows about the recording, we’re cool.” But others? They’re more like, “Nuh-uh, everyone on that call better know they’re being recorded, or you’re in trouble, mister!”

So, what are you to do? Well, my friend, it’s time to put on your detective hat and do a little digging into your local laws. Trust me, it’s way better to spend a few minutes Googling now than dealing with legal headaches later. Remember, when in doubt, just ask. Most people won’t mind if you record the call, especially if you have a good reason.

A man recording a phone call on Android. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

There you have it — recording calls on your Android is a breeze. But remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Always consider the legal and ethical implications before hitting that record button. When used responsibly, call recording can be a fantastic tool for preserving important information or simply capturing those priceless moments with loved ones.

What are your thoughts on recording phone calls? Do you find them useful, or do you have any concerns about privacy and legality? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

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Elon Musk is, in addition to many other things, now the co-lead of the currently nonexistent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) advisory group. Now, before it even gets rolling, he has begun singling out individual government employees he says are emblematic of the government’s bloat and posting about them to his hundreds of millions of followers on X.

Earlier this week, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the X user “datahazard” shared a screenshot on X highlighting the role of Ashley Thomas, the Director of Climate Diversification at the US International Development Finance Corporation, saying, “I don’t think the US Taxpayer should pay for the employment” of that role. Musk reposted it, adding the comment “so many fake jobs” in a post with more than 33 million views.

As the WSJ notes, Musk’s followers have responded in exactly the way you’d expect: with a flood of memes and harassment targeting Thomas, whose LinkedIn and Facebook pages are now private. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, told the WSJ that the posts “are aimed at sowing terror and fear at federal employees.”

Flooding targets with harassment is a tactic Musk has done in the past, including calling caver Vernon Unsworth a “pedo guy,” criticizing a former Twitter exec following his offer to buy the company, and suggesting that head of trust and safety Yoel Roth was sympathetic to pedophilia. All, of course, under the guise of “free speech.”

The ensuing harassment, of course, is precisely the point: Musk has systematically turned X into a megaphone for his views and has wielded that megaphone to whatever end he finds funny or useful. Musk and DOGE co-lead Vivek Ramaswamy have promised to do much of their work in public (and sometimes by X poll), too, which means this kind of pointed attention is likely headed toward many other civil servants in the near future.