If you’ve got an Apple device like an iPhone or Apple Watch, you’ll probably want (or even need) Siri, the company’s voice assistant. Here’s how to set up Siri for the first time and activate Siri on any Apple product.

Read more: The best Siri commands for productivity and more

If you’ve got an Apple device like an iPhone or Apple Watch, you’ll probably want (or even need) Siri, the company’s voice assistant. Here’s how to set up Siri for the first time and activate Siri on any Apple product.

Read more: The best Siri commands for productivity and more

Apple’s Emergency SOS feature is meant to save critical time reaching emergency services and contacts — devices in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 lineups can even send alerts via satellite. But if the feature is being triggered accidentally, say via Crash Detection, children, or your pocket, you can disable it (almost) entirely. Here’s how.

QUICK ANSWER

Although Telegram is a niche messaging service in the US and Canada, it’s absolutely gigantic worldwide, with over 104 million users in India alone. If you’re new to the service, stats like that can be a little intimidating — but they shouldn’t be, at least not on their own. Here’s what you need to know about Telegram’s security, including how to stay safe day-to-day.

Is Telegram safe and secure?

Mostly, if we’re going to boil things down. All calls and chats are encrypted to some degree, and that escalates to end-to-end encryption for calls or Secret Chats between two people, effectively preventing interception in those situations — even by Telegram. You can also require that messages, photos, videos, and other files sent in Secret Chats “self-destruct” a fixed amount of time after they’ve been seen.

Group conversations (i.e. between three or more people) don’t enjoy end-to-end encryption or self-destruction features, but they’re nevertheless one of the app’s selling points. People regularly set up permanent groups as well as Channels, the latter of which can be used to broadcast messages to hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people.

Both groups and Channels pose some unique safety issues. They can be used to spread scams, porn, and misinformation, and they’ve been implicated as fueling violence or even genocide in places like India, Pakistan, and Myanmar. Telegram does have rules and algorithms to guard against these things, including promoting any kind of violence, but it doesn’t seem to be able to enforce them consistently. Ultimately, it’s up to end users to be skeptical about other people and the messages they spread, and report anything problematic.

For those reasons you should probably steer kids towards alternative platforms. If that’s impractical, you still can go to Settings > Privacy and Security in the app and toggle on options like group controls and Restricted Mode, the latter of which censors content like nudity and violence.

An option you should probably leave disabled is People Nearby. This lets you see other Telegram users in your area, but in the past it’s been demonstrated that a hacker could exploit this to find a person’s exact location. You can make sure your location is hidden by going to Contacts > Find People Nearby and choosing Stop Showing Me.

One last point is that while Telegram is sometimes labeled open-source, that only applies to the client software. On the server side, Telegram uses a proprietary protocol called MTProto for message encryption. As a rule, security experts prefer standardized encryption libraries where all of the potential vulnerabilities are known and being addressed.

Does Telegram collect data?

Yes. By necessity, the company stores data like your username, device info, usage habits, and connecting IP address. If applicable it also records other Telegram apps you’ve used, along with your history of username changes. This metadata is stored for up to 12 months, but it’s not used for advertising or other commercial purposes.

Be aware that law enforcement and spy agencies could potentially ask Telegram to turn over server-side data, or else directly target you by seizing your phone or launching phishing and surveillance attacks. These things are true with any online service, but real-world incidents have previously occurred involving Iranian dissidents.

How to stay safe on Telegram

Generally speaking, you should have no problems on Telegram as long as you follow these principles:

• Use two-step verification. You can find the option under Settings > Privacy and Security. This makes it much harder for someone to hijack your account.
• Limit the amount of information you share. Hide your phone number, and if people don’t need to know what you look like, you can use an artistic profile image instead or set separate public and private photos. In public conversations, resist the temptation to share details that could identify you, other accounts, or your specific location.
• Stick to one-on-one calls and Secret Chats whenever possible. Friends and family may often be in the same groups, but going private ensures both end-to-end encryption and fewer chances of accidentally sharing private info.
• Think skeptically about the groups and Channels you participate in. It’s easier than it should be to get swept up in a mob mentality, especially when friends or family are pressuring you to participate, or you’re being tempted with rewards. The popularity or fervor of a group doesn’t necessarily say anything about the truth of its beliefs — always demand logic and evidence, especially if money, sex, politics, religion, and/or violence are involved.
• Don’t exchange money or account details with people you don’t know personally. Scammers may try to impersonate tech support, a bank representative, or anyone else they can think of that holds a position of trust, but no one of that status is going to ask for money or account details out of the blue using Telegram. If there’s reason for doubt, check details like a person’s username and their available contact info. You might even call a known phone number and ask them to verify the conversation.
• Don’t get emotionally attached to people you haven’t met in person. Romance/catfishing scams are all-too common. These involve a scammer flirting with you long enough to build up the illusion of a “relationship,” but then suddenly manufacturing a crisis that demands money, such as a visa or missed rent. There are even worse threats too, such as sexual predators or human trafficking. If a relationship is genuine, the person won’t object to a real-world meeting in a public place you agree to. Consider bringing one or more friends for extra safety.
• Avoid tapping on links from strangers. If someone you don’t know urges you to tap on a web link, especially in the guise of something like tech support or a giveaway, it could easily be intended to infect your device with malware or spyware, or trick you into sharing private info through a fake (a.k.a. “phishing”) website.
• If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. You’re not going to luck into lottery wins, the love of your life, luxury discounts, or once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunities through random encounters on Telegram. Stay skeptical at all times when dealing with new people.

FAQs

Although Telegram is a niche messaging service in the US and Canada, it’s absolutely gigantic worldwide, with over 104 million users in India alone. If you’re new to the service, stats like that can be a little intimidating — but they shouldn’t be, at least not on their own. Here’s what you need to know about Telegram’s security, including how to stay safe day-to-day.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

TikTok is perhaps the most controversial mainstream social network after Elon Musk’s X. Some people accuse it of being superficial, and worsening attention spans as well as the self-image of teenagers. Its harsher critics say that it can be used to spread misinformation, or that it might even be a potential attack vector for the Chinese government. So what’s the reality of the situation? Is TikTok safe to be on?

Is TikTok safe?

The answer to this is complicated. On an immediate, practical safety level, there’s not much to worry about. Millions of people watch videos on TikTok daily without being being affected by malware or data theft. Indeed the malware threat is basically non-existent unless someone tricks you into visiting a dangerous link — we’ll touch on that in the next section.

It’s when you zoom out that issues start to manifest. Some people find TikTok addictive, and it certainly doesn’t help with attention deficit problems, since the whole point is to deliver a non-stop stream of short video clips. It can distract from school or work, and like Instagram, it can potentially warp a person’s self-image — professional influencers strive to look sexy, successful, and adventurous, often well beyond what’s realistic.

TikTok has moderation to counter misinformation and disinformation — the latter being intentional — but some of it bound to slip through, and has in the past. That includes false claims about elections, vaccines, mass killings, and other topics. It wouldn’t be such an issue except that if the app’s algorithms decide you like something, they’ll feed you more of the same, and it’s possible for people to get trapped inside an ideological bubble.

For some, the greater concern is TikTok’s ownership. While the service doesn’t operate in China, its parent company — ByteDance — is based in Beijing, which has raised fears of the Chinese Communist Party gaining access to customer data or otherwise exploiting the app. In the US, the White House has banned it from devices at federal agencies, and many states have done the same. For its part ByteDance has denied any influence or control by the CCP, and in practice this concern hasn’t been made manifest.

Something else to be aware of is TikTok’s data collection. There’s more to say later on, but in brief the service knows about as much about you as a service like Facebook or X, which is to say things like personal contact info, your search and browsing history, and (if you agree) your precise location and contact lists. The company is primarily interested in making money off advertising, not anything truly insidious — but if you quit Facebook for privacy reasons, you shouldn’t be on TikTok either.

Lastly, as with any popular social network, you have to be on the lookout for scammers. To improve your defenses, we’ve identified some of the most common TikTok scams.

6 TikTok scams you should watch out for

1. Fake lotteries, giveaways, and other prizes. Scammers may claim that you’ve already won a prize, but that you need to visit a link or share personal information to claim it. If you don’t remember entering an event, don’t trust this, because it’s likely an attempt at identity theft or infecting your device with malware. Alternately a scammer may claim that you’ll automatically get a prize (such as a cash handout) for liking, following, or sharing something, but it’s never that easy.
2. Romance/catfishing scams. These are inherently rare on TikTok, but a scammer willing to play the long con might start flirting with you, gradually building up the illusion of a budding relationship. Once they’ve got sufficient trust, they’ll manufacture a reason to ask for money such as missed rent, a visa, or a medical emergency. Never get emotionally attached to someone before meeting them in person or at least taking a few video calls. If you think someone might be catfishing you, use a reverse image search tool like TinEye on their social media images — a smart scammer is going to steal photos to stay incognito.
3. Counterfeit or outright fraudulent products. Some accounts may claim to be selling “dupes,” or offering sharp discounts on genuine fashion or electronics products. You might potentially get a tangible product if you buy a dupe, but the quality could be poor, and in either scenario there’s a too-high chance a scammer will take your money and run. You shouldn’t do your shopping on TikTok, and avoid anything that sounds like online prostitution.
4. Investment scams. Some TikTokkers may try to pitch you on stocks, cryptocurrency, or pyramid/multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes that promise a high return in exchange for a small initial investment. In reality you’ll lose your money, whether because it’s stolen outright or the person’s claims are implausible. With stocks and crypto you might alternately be sold a “secret” guide to success, when the truth is that the creator’s riches come from people like you.
5. Impersonation accounts. Scammers sometimes impersonate a company or celebrity with the hope of tricking you into tapping a link or giving them money, sometimes under the pretense of a charity, giveaway, or investment opportunity. When in doubt, make sure the account’s name, images, and other details line up with what you’d expect, including their verified status.
6. Fake tech support. Whether through the TikTop app or outside of it, you might be approached by someone claiming they need you to tap a link or share account details to address the security of your TikTok account. The company does send a verification code whenever you add or change an email address or phone number, but you won’t have to tap a link, and the company will never ask you to share your account info outside of logging into the app. This scam is an attempt at identify theft or spreading malware.

Is TikTok safe for kids?

Kids probably shouldn’t be on TikTok. The app does have a 60-minute daily time limit for anyone under 18, requiring a passcode to extend it, as well as a block on direct messages if you’re 15 or under — but these requirements are often meaningless, since there’s no true age verification when you sign up. A child can easily lie about their age if they sign up solo, removing all limits on what they see. They shouldn’t encounter nudity, sex, or extreme violence, but there’s borderline content parents might not be comfortable with, not to mention concerns you might have about consumerism, distractions, or self-image.

Officially the minimum age for TikTok is 13, or 14 in some regions. If you do plan to let a teen on TikTok, you’ll want to take advantage of Family Pairing and Restricted Mode. These provide account control, though of course you’ll have to get your teen to consent to it.

What data does TikTok collect?

According to TikTok, it collects:

• Profile information, including your date or birth, email address, phone number, and anything else you share.
• All the user content you post or upload, including things like audio, photos, video, and comments.
• Clipboard content, phone contacts, and social network contacts, if you consent to sharing any of these.
• Purchase information when you make a transaction through TikTok’s systems.
• Proof of your identity or age if it’s required (say, for a livestream or verified status).
• Message content and metadata. Don’t expect conversations to be fully private, in other words.
• Usage patterns, including your Favorites, your browsing and search history, and how you interact with content, including ads.
• Device/browser information such as your IP address, phone carrier, device model, screen resolution, operating system, and even battery level.
• Approximate location based on your SIM card, IP address, or user content. Precise location (e.g. GPS) if you consent to it.
• Third-party cookies (and similar tech) used to analyze how you use TikTok or enable some features. Some of these cookies can be disabled.
• Info from linked third-party services like Facebook or Google.
• Info shared from partners like advertisers, assuming there’s a way of identifying your account data.

FAQs