The NFL has been hit with a $4.7 billion verdict in a class action antitrust lawsuit filed on behalf of residential and commercial customers who paid for its Sunday Ticket package on DirecTV from 2011 through 2022.

Originally filed in 2015 by the Mucky Duck sports bar, the lawsuit claimed that the league and its teams had conspired to give DirecTV an illegal monopoly on out-of-market games until YouTube took it over, starting with the 2023 season. The plaintiffs noted that other leagues distributed live, out-of-market games through multiple providers instead of just one exclusive partner like the NFL and argued during the case that the setup not only inflated the price of Sunday Ticket but also forced viewers to pay for games during weeks when their preferred team wasn’t playing.

Courthouse News reports that during the trial, evidence showed that the NFL turned down bids for the package that would’ve made the offer cheaper, more flexible, and available to millions of additional customers. Before YouTube snagged the exclusive package that it now sells for $349 per year, the report says that an email from the NFL’s chief media and business officer showed ESPN proposed offering Sunday Ticket for $70 per year and allowing fans to buy a package for just one team.

After a three-week trial, ESPN reports the jury deliberated for almost five hours before reaching the decision. They awarded $96 million in damages to the bars and restaurants and $4.7 billion to customers, according to USA Today, which, if it stands, could be tripled under federal law.

A statement from the NFL given to multiple media outlets said the league would appeal the decision. Front Office Sports reports that US District Court Judge Philip S. Gutierrez, who dismissed the case in 2019 but later ruled it could proceed as a class action, could still throw out the verdict, and post-trial motions are set for a hearing on July 31st.

In today’s digital landscape, where cyberthreats lurk around every corner, safeguarding your personal data and maintaining privacy have become paramount. 

Your Mac houses a wealth of sensitive information, making it a prime target for malicious actors. 

Securing your device with a robust password and leveraging the convenience of biometric authentication like Touch ID is no longer an option but a necessity. Here are steps to fortify your Mac’s defenses, ensuring your computer remains impregnable against prying eyes and unauthorized access.

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How to add a password to your Mac

• In the top left corner of your Mac, click on the Apple logo

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Then, go to System Settings

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Click on Users & Groups in the sidebar

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Then click the Info button next to your username on the right
• Click Change

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Next, enter your current password in the “Old Password” field

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Enter your New Password in the “New Password” field

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• If you need help choosing a secure password, click the key button next to “New Password”

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Enter a hint to help you remember it

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Enter the new password again in the “Verify” field

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Then click Change Password

Steps to add a password to your Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW TO REMOVE MALWARE ON A MAC 2024 

How to set up your Touch ID (if available)

On some Macs, you can also use biometric data to unlock your device with Touch ID. Here’s how to set it up:

• In the top left corner, click on the Apple logo

Steps to set up your Touch ID (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Then click System Settings

Steps to set up your Touch ID (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Scroll down and click on Touch ID & Password from the sidebar

Steps to set up your Touch ID (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Steps to set up your Touch ID (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Then input your password when prompted

Steps to set up your Touch ID (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Steps to set up your Touch ID (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Follow the on-screen directions, repeatedly resting and lifting your finger on the Touch ID sensor. The location of the Touch ID sensor may vary depending on your Mac model; it’s typically found in the top right corner of the keyboard or near the keyboard on newer models.

Steps to set up your Touch ID (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Steps to set up your Touch ID (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET 

Use strong and unique passwords 

Create strong passwords for your accounts and devices, and avoid using the same password for multiple online accounts. Consider using a password manager to securely store and generate complex passwords. It will help you to create unique and difficult-to-crack passwords that a hacker could never guess.

Second, it also keeps track of all your passwords in one place and fills passwords in for you when you’re logging into an account so that you never have to remember them yourself. The fewer passwords you remember, the less likely you will be to reuse them for your accounts.

What qualities should I look for in a password manager?

When it comes to choosing the best password manager for you, here are some of my top tips.

• Deploys secure
• Works seamlessly across all of your devices
• Creates unique complicated passwords that are different for every account
• Automatically populates login and password fields for apps and sites you revisit
• Has a browser extension for all browsers you use to automatically insert passwords for you
• Allows a fail-safe in case the primary password is ever lost or forgotten
• Checks that your existing passwords remain safe and alerts you if ever compromised
• Uses two-factor authentication security

Get more details about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2024 here.

Kurt’s key takeaways 

Keeping your operating system and software up to date is also crucial for protecting against the latest security threats. By implementing a strong password and enabling Touch ID (if available), you’ll significantly enhance the security of your Mac and safeguard your personal data from unauthorized access.

What are your biggest concerns when it comes to protecting your digital footprint and personal data online? Have you encountered any particularly egregious violations of privacy or fallen victim to cyberthreats? 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.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover,

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Unistellar’s new Envision binoculars bring smart functionality similar to Swarovski’s Optik AX Visio binoculars announced earlier this year. But instead of recognizing birds and animals, the Envision will use AR to identify and label over a million unique landmarks including mountains and trails and more than 200,000 objects in the night sky.

The French company launched a decade ago with smart telescopes that automate the process of finding and photographing objects like stars and planets. It’s now squeezing that technology into a pair of binoculars featuring 50mm lenses from Nikon upgraded with an augmented reality projection system that overlays contextual information about what’s being viewed in real time.

It’s innovative, but Unistellar will be relying on a crowdfunding campaign to help create its first prototypes next year, and delivery to backers isn’t expected until late 2025.

The Envision binoculars connect to a smartphone over Bluetooth and use that device’s GPS and other sensors to determine where a user is located. With the help of an app, the smartphone also feeds the binoculars info from an online database featuring “millions of cartographic items, including mountains, hills, trails, landmarks, water sources, stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects.” For those headed to remote locations with limited connectivity, they’ll need to download offline maps and data ahead of time.

Battery life is rated at five hours of use or “1,000 binocular engagements per charge.” But when the battery dies, the Envision will continue to function as regular binoculars.

In addition to serving as a handheld tour guide, Unistellar is promising another handy feature: one person can lock onto something they’re looking at and then pass the binoculars to someone else, who will see directional indicators guiding them to that same target.

Unistellar is bringing the Envision binoculars to consumers through a crowdfunded Kickstarter campaign that’s still over $1 million shy of its funding goal. Early bird backers can preorder a pair for $699, which is a significant discount over the expected $1,199 retail pricing (and much cheaper than the $4,799 Swarovski smart binoculars), but delivery for the earliest backers isn’t expected until November 2025.

There’s always a risk when backing a crowdfunded product, even one from a company like Unistellar that’s already delivered several successful devices. But the company isn’t expecting to have its first industrial prototypes of the Envision binoculars until January 2025. Despite a solid track record so far, it might be a good idea to wait until next year to see how these pan out.