The United States of America recently turned 250 years old. What a spectacle! The fireworks were amazing, and millions of proud people celebrated across the nation — even around the world. France lit up the Eiffel Tower; Japan had fireworks. French fighter jets flew above New York City with trails of red, white, and blue — our first major ally streaking our shared colors through the sky. Meanwhile, shameful white nationalists paraded through our nation’s capital. This has always been a country of paradoxes.
Technology
Secure your sensitive files by password-protecting your documents
One of the benefits of online file sharing and cloud storage services is the ability to share documents and files with friends, family, or colleagues easily. But with it being so easy, how do you protect your files when they are shared?
Below are ways to password-protect your files or folders on the top cloud and file-sharing platforms, including Microsoft Word, OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox.
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Friends sharing files on their computers (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to password-protect a document in Microsoft Word
You can password-protect individual Word documents using the steps below.
- Open your document by clicking your file on your computer
- Go to and click File
Password protect on Microsoft Word (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Password protect on Microsoft Word (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Password protect on Microsoft Word (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Click Encrypt with Password
- Input a password
- Input the same password to confirm
- Click OK
- Save the file
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How to password-protect a Google Drive folder
Unlike other file-sharing and cloud storage services, Google Drive doesn’t have password-protected file sharing. Instead, you can use different settings to restrict access to each Google Drive folder using the steps below:
- Go to the Google Drive home screen on your desktop
- Find the folder or file you want to protect, and right-click that folder or file
How to protect Google Drive file or folder (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to protect Google Drive file or folder (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Select Share in the subfolder
How to protect Google Drive file or folder (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Add the email address of the person you’d like to share the folder or file
- In the drop-menu next to where you enter the email address, select the access level you’d like to grant: Viewer, Commenter or Editor
How to protect Google Drive file or folder (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- You can either share a link to the folder by clicking the hyperlink icon or write a message and send an invitation to the addressee’s email by clicking Send.
How to protect Google Drive file or folder (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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How to password-protect a shared folder on Dropbox
Unfortunately, you must upgrade from their free service to Dropbox Essentials to have access to link settings such as password protection. You can
- Log in to your Dropbox account
- Right-click on the file you want to share
- Select Copy Link
- Under the link, click Manage
How to password protect a shared folder on Dropbox (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Click Link settings
- In the drop-down menu, select Only People Invited
How to password protect a shared folder on Dropbox (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to password protect a shared folder on Dropbox (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Click Copy link to share or enter the email address you want to share the file with and select Share file
How to password protect a shared folder on Dropbox (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to password-protect a folder in OneDrive
Unlike the other file-sharing and cloud storage services, OneDrive doesn’t have password-protected file sharing. Instead, you can use different settings to restrict access to each OneDrive folder using the steps below.
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- Log into your OneDrive account
- Right-click on the file you want to share
- Select Share
How to password protect a folder in OneDrive (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- In the pop-up window, click the gear shift icon
- Select People you choose
- Under More Settings, select the level of access in the drop-down
- Click Apply
How to password protect a folder in OneDrive (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Type in the email address of the person you want to give access and click Copy link or select Send
How to password protect a folder in OneDrive (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Implement zero-knowledge encryption
One of the most robust security measures for cloud storage is implementing zero-knowledge encryption. This approach ensures that your data is encrypted before it leaves your device, and only you possess the encryption keys. Even the cloud storage provider cannot access or decrypt your files, providing an additional layer of protection against potential data breaches or unauthorized access.
Zero-knowledge encryption achieves true end-to-end encryption, where your files remain encrypted during transfer, storage, and retrieval. This eliminates the risk of your sensitive data being exposed, even if the cloud provider’s systems are compromised.
To implement zero-knowledge encryption, you can use third-party encryption tools or services that integrate with your cloud storage provider. These tools encrypt your files locally before uploading them to the cloud, ensuring that your data remains private and secure.
By incorporating zero-knowledge encryption into your cloud storage strategy, you can significantly enhance the security and privacy of your personal data, providing an additional layer of protection against potential threats and unauthorized access.
Have strong antivirus software
Securing your cloud storage starts with protecting the devices you use to access it. Malware infections on your computer, smartphone, or tablet can potentially compromise your login credentials and expose your cloud data.
It’s crucial to use a reputable and up-to-date antivirus solution on all your devices. Make sure to keep your antivirus software and operating systems updated with the latest security patches to mitigate emerging threats.
Additionally, be cautious when downloading files or clicking on links, even from trusted sources, as they may contain malicious code that can infect your device and jeopardize your cloud storage security.
The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.
Enable two-factor authentication
Most cloud storage providers offer an additional security feature called two-factor authentication (2FA). This adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a second form of verification, such as a code sent to your phone or an authenticator app, in addition to your password when logging in.
Enabling 2FA ensures that even if your password is compromised, unauthorized parties cannot access your cloud storage without the second factor. This significantly reduces the risk of account takeovers and unauthorized access to your files.
To set up 2FA, follow the instructions provided by your cloud storage provider in their security settings. It’s a simple yet effective way to enhance the security of your cloud storage accounts.
Limit sensitive data in the cloud
While cloud storage offers convenience and accessibility, it’s advisable to be selective about the type of data you store in the cloud. Avoid storing critical personal or financial information, legal documents, or proprietary business data in cloud storage services.
Instead, keep such sensitive files on secure local or offline storage solutions, such as encrypted external hard drives or secure network-attached storage devices. This minimizes the risk of exposing your most sensitive data in the event of a cloud storage breach or unauthorized access.
By following these additional security measures alongside the password protection methods and zero-knowledge encryption techniques outlined earlier, you can significantly enhance the overall security and privacy of your data in cloud storage services.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Sharing files and folders on Cloud and File Sharing services can make life a lot easier as you can share with others on the go. But keeping these files safe is also important since they are so accessible. While not all files can be password protected on every platform, each platform has ways to protect your files and folders by restricting access.
Have you ever experienced a security issue with your online files? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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If your Prime Day purchases included a new desk, TV stand, bookshelf, or other furniture you still haven’t assembled, Hoto’s PixelDrive cordless screwdriver can help speed up the process. It’s currently on sale for $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, matching its best price to date.
From tightening loose screws on furniture to repairing electronics, the PixelDrive is designed to handle a wide range of household projects. Hoto includes 30 screwdriver bits that cover many of the most common screw types, all neatly organized in a small cylindrical case. It also offers six adjustable torque settings, allowing you to use less power when working with fragile electronics or increase it when putting together a desk, bookshelf, TV stand, or other furniture. You can also switch between a slower 80RPM mode for more precise work and a faster 200RPM mode with the press of a button.
Hoto also added several features that make assembling projects a little easier. A built-in display lets you quickly check your current torque setting and remaining battery life, while an integrated LED light helps illuminate dim spaces, whether you’re working under a desk or inside a cabinet. The rechargeable 2,000mAh battery also charges over USB-C, so you won’t need to keep buying disposable batteries.
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Those little white robots that once rolled across college sidewalks with lattes, fries and late-night snacks are getting a new assignment. Starship Technologies recently announced that it will wind down its U.S. university campus operations and redeploy more than 1,200 robots toward grocery chains and hot food delivery in cities across the United States and Europe.
If you have ever watched one of these robots patiently wait at a crosswalk like a polite cooler on wheels, you know why students got attached. They became part campus convenience, part mascot. Now, the company is moving from a controlled campus setting into a much tougher public test.
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That raises the bigger question: will these cute campus robots be just as welcome when they start sharing crowded city sidewalks with you?
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Starship is winding down U.S. campus robot operations as it expands grocery delivery in the U.S. and Europe. (Starship)
Why Starship is pulling robots from college campuses
Starship says the decision comes down to focus. The company says its grocery delivery operations are on a 10x growth trajectory over the next two years, driven by demand from major retailers in the United States and Europe.
In Finland, Starship says its robots already complete roughly one in five grocery deliveries. That gives the company a real-world model it wants to repeat elsewhere. To support that expansion, more than 1,200 robots from U.S. campus fleets will be moved into grocery delivery. For Starship, that is a major pivot. Campuses helped the company build its brand in the U.S. They also gave the robots a place to learn.
Why college campuses were the perfect robot testing ground
Starship made a big U.S. splash at George Mason University in 2019, when the school became the first U.S. university to offer autonomous robot deliveries from Starship. From there, the robots spread to dozens of campuses. That made sense. College students are often hungry at odd hours. Many live without a full kitchen. They also tend to be open to new tech, especially when it brings food to the dorm without small talk.
During the pandemic, contactless delivery became even more appealing. A robot that could roll up with lunch while limiting person-to-person contact suddenly felt useful in a very different way.
The campus pullback will not happen overnight
Starship says it has worked with its university campuses and industry partners to keep service running through the 2026–2027 back-to-school season, with transition plans in place to reduce disruption. So, this does not appear to be an instant shutdown where every campus robot disappears at once. Instead, the company is moving away from the university model while preparing its fleet for a bigger push into grocery and restaurant delivery.
For students who loved the bots, it may still feel like the end of an era. For Starship, though, it is a move toward the market where the company believes the economics are stronger. Starship CEO and co-founder Ahti Heinla says the company’s robots can deliver groceries at a cost $3-$4 lower per delivery than traditional courier fulfillment. That is the kind of claim that gets the attention of retailers trying to make last-mile delivery less expensive.
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Why city sidewalks could be a tougher test
The next phase could get messy. Delivery robots have to share sidewalks with people who are walking, pushing strollers, using wheelchairs, carrying groceries or trying to catch a bus. That means every design choice matters. A robot that blocks a curb ramp can create a real problem. A robot that pauses in the wrong spot can turn from cute to irritating fast. If one reverses unexpectedly or gets stuck near a crosswalk, the novelty wears off even faster.
There have already been warning signs. Reports have described delivery robots bumping into people, getting stuck in odd places and raising accessibility concerns. Chicago has also seen local pushback and safety concerns around sidewalk delivery robots, which shows Starship still has work to do if it wants city residents to embrace them. That is the challenge Starship now faces. The same robot that felt charming on a campus may feel like clutter on a narrow sidewalk.
Starship Technologies is shifting more than 1,200 campus delivery robots to grocery and restaurant deliveries in cities. (Starship)
What grocery delivery changes
Grocery delivery is a different business from campus food delivery. A college order might be a sandwich, a soda or a late-night snack. A grocery run can involve heavier items, more frequent routes and customers who expect reliability every time. If Starship can make that work, the payoff could be huge. Grocery stores want cheaper local delivery. Customers want speed without sky-high fees. Cities want fewer cars clogging short delivery routes.
Starship says the global food delivery market is now worth $650 billion and needs delivery systems with higher autonomy levels. The company also says it has completed more than 10 million deliveries, which gives it a sizable head start in the sidewalk robot category.
However, the public will need convincing. People may welcome a robot bringing milk and eggs on a rainy night. They may also get annoyed if that same robot blocks a sidewalk during the morning rush. That will all decide whether sidewalk robots become normal or face more local limits.
Why Estonia still matters to Starship
Starship was founded in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2014 by Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis. Estonia remains home to the company’s core engineering and AI development team. That is important because this shift is not only about where the robots operate.
The big question for robot delivery
Starship’s move shows where the delivery robot business is headed. College campuses helped make the robots likable. Grocery delivery may determine whether they become profitable. Still, the sidewalks belong to the public. That means companies need more than clever machines. They need trust, clear rules and designs that respect people who move through cities in different ways.
A delivery robot should never make a sidewalk harder to use for someone with a cane, stroller or wheelchair. It should not turn public space into an obstacle course. If companies want these robots to feel normal, they need to prove they can operate without making daily life more frustrating.
ARE HUMANOID ROBOTS NOW COMING FOR RETAIL JOBS?
Starship says grocery delivery demand is pushing its robot fleet from college campuses into urban neighborhoods. (Starship)
What this means to you
You may start seeing more delivery robots near grocery stores, restaurants and apartment-heavy neighborhoods. If that happens, pay attention to how they behave in your area. Look for whether they yield to pedestrians, avoid curb ramps and handle crowded sidewalks well. Also, check whether your city has rules for personal delivery devices. Some places allow pilot programs, while others limit where these robots can operate.
If a robot causes a problem, document it safely. Take a photo or video, note the location and report it to your city or the delivery company. That is important because local officials need real examples, not vague frustration, when they decide what rules should apply. There is also a privacy angle. These robots use sensors and cameras to navigate. Companies may say the data supports safe operation, but you still deserve clear answers about what gets collected, how long it is kept and whether law enforcement can request it.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Starship’s campus exit feels like the end of a quirky era, especially for students who got used to seeing the little robots rolling around campus. But this shift also tells us something bigger about where autonomous delivery is going. The next battle will happen on city sidewalks, not college campuses. If these robots save money and reduce short car trips, they could become very useful. But if they crowd walkways or create safety headaches, people will push back hard. To me, the real test is pretty clear. Robot delivery needs to work for everyone on the sidewalk, including people who never ordered anything.
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Would you be ok with a delivery robot on your block, or would you rather keep your sidewalks robot-free? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Our 250th birthday counts back to the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The declaration was a radical and astonishing document that still serves as America’s soul. But the beating heart of the nation wouldn’t come until more than a decade later, when the Constitution was ratified. That document is why I’m able to write this to you today. And we need you to help protect it.
The First Amendment to the Constitution is so potent that people across the world who live in places untouched by US law often seem to think they have the same rights it establishes. The First Amendment is our day-one theory of what makes a free society. It’s literally the first cure by the framers for a project they knew would be forever imperfect and incomplete — fixable only by way of the right to free expression.
The Verge exists today because of this great project. We believe in it deeply. The First Amendment affords us the knowledge that we’re likely free from imprisonment from expressing our freedom to speak. But journalism and speech are always under assault. It’s one of the reasons why we’ll always need lawyers despite likely having the strongest editorial ethics policy in the industry.
Here’s what the First Amendment says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
This is a compelling and beautiful idea. But we’ve had to fight to keep it alive from the beginning..
John Adams, one of the fiercest revolutionaries who railed against British tyrrany and helped secure independence, completely fucked up the First Amendement when he became the second US president. Adams’ series of Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 look positively Trumpian in retrospect, railing against foreigners, expanding presidential power to arrest, imprison, or deport people, and perhaps most insidiously, making it a crime for American citizens to print “scandalous and malicious” writings against the government. Adams surely loved the country he created, but nonetheless shrunk before the magnitude of its liberties.
Fast-forward to World War I, when the First Amendment was again under attack, this time by the Supreme Court. The court’s awful decision under Oliver Wendell Holmes was later overturned, but its fearful message about free speech still sticks with us. You’ve probably heard the phrase “you can’t shout ‘fire’ in a crowded theater” — not actually true. The misquoting and misinterpretation here is darkly funny: Trevor Timm, in The Atlantic, notes the court decision the phrase refers to was actually about whether an American socialist “could be convicted under the Espionage Act for writing and distributing a pamphlet that expressed his opposition to the draft.” It almost sounds ripped from contemporary headlines. (Nearly a century later, the Espionage Act would be used again to target, this time, a New York Times journalist.)
Misunderstandings about the First Amendment still abound. On the front lines we most readily see it in police confrontations where armed agents of the state bungle their constitutional duties with disastrous results.
Cops are routinely so terrible at understanding America’s foundational law that there’s now a cottage industry of streamers and influencers who work as “First Amendment auditors” — people who intentionally flex their right to record in public to bait dummies into abridging their freedom of speech. It’s easy to go down TikTok rabbit holes where you’ll find someone recording an illegal traffic stop from inside their car, or a fully kitted streamer recording harassment on a public sidewalk. When the police inevitably show up to hassle someone for exercising their rights, the stakes are immediately raised.
In a best-case scenario, a higher-ranking cop arrives and dispels their colleagues’ unconstitutional conduct. In other cases, someone ends up getting detained or arrested for completely protected behavior.
It’s even worse than usual in 2026, because we now live under an administration that’s flooding cities with barely trained federal agents who see constitutionally protected behavior as a threat. This has resulted in deaths, assaults on reporters, and an untold broader cost of regular people having to endure the immense burden of confronting the justice system simply for doing things they have the fundamental right to do. The right to speak and assemble is especially valid when it’s in protest of the government. That’s the whole point of this thing! And yet.
The latest assaults on the First Amendment have been encouraged by people all the way up the chain of command. We’re being betrayed by officials who are supposed to protect us, people who swore an oath to the Constitution and ought to know better. The FCC is not supposed to regulate speech but has nonetheless become a nightmare of incompetence and civil rights suppression. Do you miss Stephen Colbert on The Late Show? Thank the Trump administration, which now operates a mob-like patronage system that has cowed the billionaire princes who own America’s broadcast networks. Or ask Jimmy Kimmel, who got kicked off the air after conservatives went nuclear over his tame remarks about Charlie Kirk, a man who spent his time poisoning our national discourse with none of the grace or wit employed by national talk show hosts.
The Trump regime in general has an incredibly disturbing record on free speech, from science to the operations of the largest social networks. Donald Trump rails against anyone who doesn’t bow to him, and the list of his victims is too long to enumerate. But here’s an important one: The president once threatened to jail Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for life. Zuckerberg is far more wealthy and powerful than Trump in many respects, but what did he do? Two years after the threat, Zuckerberg showed up on the White House lawn to celebrate Trump’s insane UFC fight show. He tapped out against a bully.
This is what makes everything really messy. We live in an age dominated by communication platforms that are so wealthy, powerful, and pervasive that they seem practically unrestrained by the US government, but paradoxically must still cozy up to a regime that has no actual respect for them or for their free speech. Trump once threatened to blow up the entire internet because he wanted platforms to censor things to his advantage. The CEOs of those companies still indulge him with flattery and photo ops.
This blurring of public and private interests has fueled a funhouse-mirror idea of “free speech culture” that’s actually designed to crack down on free speech. The loudest people crying about free speech culture do so as if theirs is not the freest ever in history, while simultaneously supporting actual government censorship, like banning books.
I can’t say it better than Ken White has, so just go read him on this point. White explains how “free speech culture” has emboldened the Trump admin and others to engage in real censorship. “When enough people think that all of free speech—including free speech law—is bullshit, then free speech rights won’t be enforced,” he writes.
Our constitutional punchbowl has been spiked by madmen who profit from confusion about our rights and the rule of law. It doesn’t have to be this way. Just remember: The First Amendment is a restraint on the government that prevents it from prohibiting your speech.
Moreover: Actual censorship is government suppression of speech. It’s entirely understandable that we’re confused about what censorship is because of how hard many people have worked to keep us confused. A social media platform moderating your post is not censorship — it’s actually free speech. Yes, that sounds completely counterintuitive, but it’s true. The alternative is a situation where the government forces private citizens to publish things they don’t want to, including hate speech.
Much was unsaid here, including the history of immense pain and suffering that has kept the First Amendment and our broader rights alive. I won’t claim to know what the fix is for our current mess, but I’ll say I really hate when our leaders say things like “this is not who we are” when they talk precisely about the things that define who we are. And part of who we are is a coalition that claims to want free speech in theory while simultaneously suppressing it in practice.
So what can you do? Yes, of course, vote. But there’s much more to do. Write or call your congresspeople (I promise this does matter). Participate in local elections, especially for school boards, which are on the front lines of book banning. And if you’re reading this, thank you for subscribing — but consider also supporting other newsrooms.
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