IT General

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who watch Premier League football.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Cards

• Green: Abbreviated sports teams

• Blue: EPL nicknames

• Purple: Name change

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Card Games

• Green: NFL Teams on Scoreboards

• Blue: Premier League Nicknames, Minus the S

• Purple: Athletes Who Changed Their Name

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #525 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Card Games - RUMMY, SKIP-BO, SOLITAIRE, UNO

• NFL Teams on Scoreboards - CAR, DEN, JAX, TEN

• Premier League Nicknames, Minus the S - COTTAGER, MAGPIE, SEAGULL, TOFFEE

• Athletes Who Changed Their Name - ABDUL-JABBAR, ALI, OCHOCINCO, WORLD PEACE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

TL;DR: It’s time to find a permanent space for your data, and Drime Secure Cloud Storage can make that happen with this 2TB lifetime subscription for only $112.49 with code CLOUD through March 22.

Opens in a new window Credit: Drime Drime Secure Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription $112.50
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How many photos are sitting on your phone? How about videos? If you’re looking for a more permanent place to store your precious memories and other important data, it’s time to consider owning your cloud storage. Drime Secure Cloud Storage lets you just do that, and right now you can score a 2TB lifetime subscription for only $112.49 with code CLOUD through March 22.

Sick of spending a small fortune on your cloud storage subscriptions? It doesn’t have to be that way — in fact, Drime Secure Cloud Storage is ready to give you a much more affordable alternative. With Drime, you can pay once and store 2TB of data for life.

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Aside from being much easier on your wallet, Drime provides much better security. This European-based company is GDPR-compliant, meaning your data is hosted in Europe and never routed through the United States. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your data is protected with end-to-end encryption, so only you can access it.

Drime’s easy-to-use interface makes it simple to upload, sync, and share your files from all different devices. There is no upload limit, so you can save any content you’d like, no matter how large. Drime also makes it convenient to organize and manage your files, clients, and projects within its collaborative workspaces.

This Drime Essentials Plan gives you 2TB of storage, with a 90-day file history. You’ll also have password-protected file-sharing links, unlimited signature requests, and custom expiration dates.

Store files forever with this lifetime subscription to Drime Secure Cloud Storage, on sale now for $112.49 with code CLOUD through March 22.

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TL;DR: Be prepared for spring cleaning with this Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum $339.99 (reg. $599.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum with 10 Accessories (Refurbished) $339.99
$599.99 Save $260   Get Deal

It’s almost that time again — spring cleaning season. But are your tools up to the task? If you need a device that can deep-clean every surface, look no further than the Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum. This powerful cordless vacuum can tackle dirt and dust all over your home, and it’s currently on sale for $339.99 (reg. $599.99).

Whether you’re a neat freak who vacuums up dust daily or you’d rather not admit how often you tackle the dirt in your home, the Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum is ready to change the way you tidy.

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This cordless vacuum not only offers a powerful Dyson motor that spins up to 125,000rpm, providing the brand’s most powerful cordless suction, but it also includes laser illumination to show the invisible dust on hard floors you didn’t even realize you were cleaning. A piezo sensor also automatically adapts this Dyson’s suction power depending on what kind of debris is detected.

Need to vacuum the stairs? No problem — this Dyson V15 easily transforms into a handheld vacuum perfect for stairs, cars, upholstery, or other tight spaces. And you don’t have to worry about cleaning it out constantly, the 0.2-Gallon bin has a hygienic, no-touch ejection system when it needs to be emptied.

A full charge gives you up to 60 minutes of runtime, while the LCD display keeps you updated on the runtime countdown, maintenance alerts, and even scientific proof of the particles captured for all the neat freaks out there.

This Dyson V15 includes 10 helpful tools, including a Fluffy Optic Cleaner Head that makes the invisible dust visible on your hardwood floors, a crevice tool for clearing around tricky edges and hard-to-reach spots, and a fabric/mattress tool that helps remove dust, dirt, and allergens from important spaces.

You’re securing a $240 discount thanks to this model’s grade-A refurbished rating. That means your Dyson will arrive with light wear, with no scratches, dents, cracks, or missing parts.

Snag this Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum for just $339.99 (reg. $599.99) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

When it comes to first-person shooters, Bungie — from Halo all the way to Destiny — has long been in a class of its own. Now the studio is returning to an older game — Marathon, originally released in 1994.

Having played the 2026 version of Marathon for 6 hours, my first impressions are positive. The gunplay is impressive, the art direction is enticing.

The game's slower pacing may not be for everyone — but personally, I’m hungry for more.

What is 'Marathon' about?

Marathon takes place on the planet Tau Ceti IV, where human colonists upload their consciousnesses to disposable cybernetic bodies, turning them into “Runners.” The Runners' job is to go out into Tau Ceti IV, scrounging up resources, artifacts, and data to bring back to their factions.

Marathon doesn’t put its backstory front and center; still, there's plenty of details on the factions if you want it, and it's all surprisingly interesting. This aspect reminded me of Concord, in which I found reading the in-game encyclopedia more fun than playing the actual game.

Credit: Bungie screenshot

Thankfully, Marathon also has solid gameplay. It’s an extraction shooter, similar to ARC Raiders, where players jump into a map, collect items, and extract out. If you’re an avid Destiny player — if you’re used to going in guns blazing, in other words — Marathon may feel foreign to you.

You’re limited in supplies, and any items that you bring with you or collect on the field will disappear if you die. So you need to plan out your routes methodically and explore carefully in order to avoid fights at all costs. This creates a tense atmosphere of unpredictability; it's unnerving, yet exciting.

Scattered across the field are NPCs and other human players — and trust me, they’re hard. The robotic NPCs are durable, while other human players show absolutely no mercy. 

This makes Marathon feel distinctly different from Halo, Destiny, even ARC Raiders. If you try to take the NPCs in a gunfight, you’ll most likely get wiped —which is not the case in Bungie’s other shooters. In ARC Raiders, you’ll come across many friendly human players; in Marathon, they won’t hesitate to murk you.

Credit: Bungie screenshot

The way gunfights break out feels organic, and leads to a lot of emergent experiences. The guns feel slick and impactful, the moment-by-moment of the shootouts exhilarating. Overall, Ceta Tau feels like an oppressive, but masochistically fun, place to be.

If you successfully extract, items you bring back are automatically sold. You can use the money to purchase guns and other equipment, to give yourself an advantage when you deploy again. But even with your shiny new toys, your character could easily die and lose everything you brought in. Still, even when you die, you never feel like you’re too far behind. Players seem like they’re on a level playing field, more or less.

The biggest problem with 'Marathon'

I love Marathon's retro-futurism aesthetic. The font and menus look exactly like Apple interfaces from the 1980s, referencing Marathon’s origins on early Macintosh computers.

That said, the game's biggest issues are in the user interface, especially its clunky menus. They’re clunky because similar actions don’t use the same input. For example, you open up a box with the square button on your controller, then you have to place the items from that box into your inventory with the X button. This doesn't feel intuitive and can mess with your brain over time.

The font is hard to read, even if you’re playing on a big screen. There are no options to increase the size — something we hope will be fixed in an early update.

All that being said, I’ve had a lot of fun with my first few hours of Marathon. I can’t wait to see what else the game has in store when it launches on March 5 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Check back later this month for our full review.

Early March always feels like the week when things start to lighten up—new month energy combined with warmer climes on the horizon. It also comes with a swath of renewed movies on Paramount+. When you’re ready to unwind, there's plenty to pick from ... maybe too much. So let us throw a few ideas your way this week.

A tweet from a notorious PlayStation leaker has sent the internet into a frenzy over Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders. We still don't know anything official, but the rumor mill has gone into overdrive over the mere possibility of news on Rockstar's long-delayed Grand Theft Auto VI.

According to X account PlayStation Game Size, title IDs have been added to the PlayStation database for GTA VI, with the account warning that news on the game should be expected to drop soon — and in their estimation, that means pre-orders could be right around the corner.

The post stops short of confirming anything and remains largely speculative, but make no mistake: PlayStation Game Size has a proven track record that's earned them serious credibility with other outlets.

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As one possible reference point, ahead of Red Dead Redemption 2's Oct. 26 release date back in 2018, pre-orders went live in June. However, the new GTA game could follow an entirely different schedule, and given the delays, Rockstar may be eager to offer gamers something as soon as possible.

In a comment under the post, a user pressed the leaker on how long pre-orders could take to open after title IDs hit the backend.

"Completely depends on the publisher, and it's not something I know for sure. But I don't think there's going to be a long wait." Not exactly a concrete answer, but not a dismissal either.

The prospect of pre-orders arriving "soon-ish" is massive news for a game that has already been delayed twice and is widely rumored to carry a price tag north of the standard $70 — itself a price point that only became the industry's new normal in 2022.

With GTA VI currently locked in for a November 19, 2026, release date and publisher Take-Two confirming last month that a full-on marketing blitz kicks off this summer, the hype machine is officially warming up.

The skyrocketing prices for flash memory have already affected RAM sticks, SSDs, laptops, pre-built PC desktops, phones, and many other devices. Now, you can add the OrangePi Neo to the list—a handheld gaming PC using Linux that was supposed to be released soon.

For the average Australian, the digital world is no longer a destination we visit; it is the environment we inhabit. We bank on the bus, check our emails from the local café, and manage our entire social lives through a screen. Ten years ago, digital security was simple: you installed an antivirus, ran a scan once a week, and avoided clicking on emails from long-lost princes. Today, the threats are quieter, more sophisticated, and often invisible. From "stalkerware" and invasive tracking cookies to large-scale data breaches that expose your tax file number. These modern problems require modern solutions, and thankfully many popular security suites have adapted to suit these needs. However, it’s also important to update how we think about digital security every once and a while. On top of security, the notion of digital privacy has grown increasingly important. So it’s a good idea to give yourself a bit of a refresher.

The shift from security to privacy

While most of us understand the need to block malware, we need to not just think of security, but also our privacy. Every website you visit, every search you make, and every product you linger over contributes to a digital profile that is bought and sold by data brokers. This isn’t just about annoying targeted ads; it’s about maintaining a level of anonymity.

But privacy isn’t just about where you go; it’s about what you leave behind. It’s an important part of the new normal to ensure that your sensitive information, like your credit card details or login credentials, haven’t ended up on the dark web following a corporate data breach or social engineering scam. According to the Avast Academy), one of the most effective ways to stay ahead of identity thieves is to practice proactive monitoring rather than waiting for a notification from your bank.

Reclaiming privacy via the network layer

One of the most overlooked vulnerabilities in the modern threat surface is the network layer. Every time you connect to the internet, you are broadcasting a digital fingerprint. This isn't just about hackers; it's about the pervasive "shadow profiles" built by advertisers and data aggregators.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) has evolved from a corporate necessity to a primary privacy tool. By encrypting your traffic and masking your IP address, you effectively "black out" your activity from prying eyes. But privacy is two-sided: while a VPN protects your data in transit, you also need to address the data you leave behind on your own machine. Tracking cookies and digital "fingerprinting" techniques can identify you even if you’re using a VPN.

How security suites can boost performance

We often think of security and performance as two different categories. In reality, they are deeply linked. A cluttered device filled with "bloatware" (redundant background processes and "junk" files) isn’t just slow; it’s harder to manage and more prone to crashes that can leave your data vulnerable. Over time, cached files and broken registry entries accumulate, dragging down the efficiency of your hardware.

It is possible (if time-consuming) to manage a lot of this bloat manually, but thankfully there are also a myriad of tools that can help with this. Often these come baked into popular security suites such as Avast or Norton. By using a security suite that automates this maintenance, you’re not just gaining back a few seconds of boot time; you’re both improving the performance and the security of the device, as freed up resources allow that security software to run more efficiently.

Staying informed

Technological protection is vital, but the ultimate layer of security is an informed user. The landscape changes rapidly—one month it’s a surge in SMS phishing "smishing") targeting super accounts, the next it’s a new exploit in popular browser extensions. Understanding why a certain threat exists is often just as important as having the software to block it.

Streamlining the solution

There is a common misconception that more security equals less performance. In reality, a compromised or cluttered system is often the primary cause of instability. Too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. The challenge for most people isn't a lack of tools, but a surplus of them. Managing a separate subscription for a VPN, another for a system optimiser, and a third for malware protection is a recipe for "subscription fatigue." More importantly, fragmented security can lead to gaps. Such as settings that don’t align or software updates that get ignored because there are too many notifications to track.

This is where integrated suites have evolved. Instead of a patchwork of different providers, a singular ecosystem like Avast Ultimate offers a streamlined way to cover many of your bases. It combines the heavy-hitting protection of Avast Premium Security with the online privacy of Avast SecureLine VPN, and specialised tools such as Avast Cleanup Premium and Avast AntiTrack:

• Avast Premium Security: To help block complex, multi-stage malware and ransomware, plus protection against scams.

• Avast SecureLine VPN: For bank-grade VPN encryption so you can browse, bank and shop more privately.

• Avast Cleanup Premium: To strip away digital debris and keep hardware running at peak efficiency.

• Avast AntiTrack: To help foil the sophisticated tracking scripts that follow you across the web.

By housing these features under one roof, the user experience becomes a bit more streamlined and easy. With a solution like Avast Ultimate, you get the benefit of world-class threat detection without the "noisy" interface of multiple programs vying for your attention.

In 2026, device security isn’t just about antivirus. It’s about ensuring your personal data remains private, your devices run as well on day 500 as they did on day one, and your online presence doesn't leave a trail for others to follow. The unfortunate reality is that in this brave new world of AI-driven scams and IoT (Internet of Things) vulnerabilities, protecting your devices from malware and maintaining your privacy is a continuous process of educating yourself and narrowing your threat surface. By moving toward a holistic, all-in-one approach to protection, you can spend less time worrying about your settings and more time enjoying the connected world. For more information on Avast Ultimate, check out their Australian site here.

March is here, which means a fresh month (and a fresh batch of movies) has landed on Netflix, which is perfect timing if your watchlist needs a little spring cleaning. There's only one problem: with that huge library, getting lost in the endless scroll. We're here to help with that.

The hybrid SUV race is still being led by the usual suspects. The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V Hybrid continue to dominate thanks to loyal buyers and massive dealer networks that keep them comfortably on top.

Like most people, the last optical drive I had in my computer was a plain old DVD writer. I just never saw the point of a PC Blu-ray drive. In many ways, I think it's a small miracle that you can still readily buy a Blu-ray drive for PC today.

The versatility of thrillers is their greatest strength. These tense movies come in various shapes and sizes. Some are lengthy political thrillers where the dialogue creates suspense and drives the story. Other thrillers rely on action and feature heroic performances that turn actors into stars. Because of its large library, Netflix is one of the best streamers to watch thrillers.

TL;DR: Live stream Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey for free on RTVE. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first legs of the Copa del Rey semi finals really delivered. Real Sociedad secured a huge 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Basque Derby, and then Atlético Madrid shocked the world by beating Barcelona 4-0. In doing so, they've put one foot in the final. The job isn't done yet, because if there is one team that can come back from 4-0 down, it's Barcelona.

Barça will need to be at their attacking best to get anything out of this semi-final matchup. Hopes rest on the shoulders of Lamine Yamal and Pedri.

If you want to watch Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid?

Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on March 3. This fixture takes place at the Camp Nou.

How to watch Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid for free

Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey is available to live stream for free on RTVE.

RTVE is geo-restricted to Spain, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Spain, meaning you can unblock RTVE to live stream the Copa del Rey for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Spain

4. Visit RTVE

5. Watch Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Copa del Rey without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTVE?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTVE, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Spain

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey for free with ExpressVPN.

Jellyfin, the popular open-source media server and Plex alternative, just got better on Roku TVs and players. The app’s latest update adds support for more HDR modes and anamorphic video, along with a pile of bug fixes.

Using a hash symbol (#)—also known as a spilled range operator—in an Excel formula is a way to tell the program to consider all results in a spilled range. As a result, even if the spilled range grows or shrinks, the formula containing the # will automatically reflect this change.

There was a time when the Android community was obsessed with modding and customizing their devices. A seemingly endless stream of custom ROMs allowed you to replace your phone's default OS. For an Android enthusiast, it was like walking into a candy shop. Sadly, those golden days of Android are in the past, but I like reminiscing about their charm.

Luxury badges look great in the driveway, but they’re usually brutal on your wallet. Depreciation hits hard, and once the warranty’s gone, repair bills can pile up fast enough to make ownership feel like a gamble.

Mobile World Congress 2026 has arrived, and Mashable is in Barcelona to bring you the latest from one of the biggest tech shows on the planet.

Following on the heels of CES and Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, this year's MWC runs March 2-5 and will feature big reveals from Honor, Xiaomi, Nothing, Motorola, and more. Mashable's Stan Schroeder is bringing you the best and most interesting news from the show floor.

We expect to see plenty of phones and tablets as well as a few surprises along the way, so keep checking back for the latest MWC 2026 announcements.

I DM my friends on Instagram. I ride the subway everyday. I am a journalist. Because of these simple matters of fact, I find myself the unwitting target of a sweeping surveillance network that knows who I am, what I say, and how I spend my time, online and off. And I'm pretty careful about what Big Tech gets out of me. 

Still, our daily habits are a treasure trove of surveillance information: The apps we use; public spaces riddled with facial recognition tech; AI assistants that know who we are and what we like; the places we shop, the smartwatches we wear, the phone you're probably reading this article on. Even the most careful are still leaking data out into the world, but how do we spot where we are particularly vulnerable, and what should we do to feel more secure?

A new campaign by youth digital advocacy organization Gen Z For Change hopes to offer a solution. Today, the group launches "Eyes on AI" — a designated landing page offering a first-of-its-kind surveillance assessment tool that lets you see exactly how the government and its Big Tech allies are collecting your data. 

SEE ALSO: How teens really feel about AI and their future

Cheyenne Hunt, executive director of Gen Z For Change, told Mashable that the current political administration has presented an alarming surveillance threat to youth organizing, including to the group's leaders, many of whom are young people of color who have had negative interactions with government entities, like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). And as digital organizers, they are navigating the irony of needing to use the very tools, like social media, that threaten their own safety.

"We've had to very quickly become keenly aware of the fact that we are being watched in a really intense and new way by the government and their partners and Big Tech," said Hunt. "And that collusion is out in the open." 

But everyone, not just organizers or journalists, is vulnerable, said Hunt. With Eyes on AI, individuals of all ilks are given the tools to assess their own risk. "Warrantless surveillance is entirely legal and artificial intelligence is powering it," the website informs visitors. "AI-powered surveillance tools are reading your data, learning your routine, and creating a profile of you to eat away at your privacy." 

The Eyes on AI assessment tool is designed to mimic the kinds of eerily perceptive games and memes that often go viral online, its makers tell Mashable, like horoscope mood boards, AI's that judge your Spotify stats, or the viral Rice Purity Test. Only in this case, that sense of knowing isn't played off as something fun and silly — its stakes are exceptionally high. "Your future is for sale," the campaign reminds viewers. 

Credit: Gen Z For Change

"We have normalized surveillance and data collection, which is not normal and actually very, very terrifying," said Dominique Demetz, Gen Z For Change creative director and one of the coders of the project. Demetz explained that the Eyes on AI tool, which feels almost like being inducted (and subsequently rejected) from a top secret spy agency, is intended to unsettle you.

Immediately after clicking through, the "agent" on the other end knows your IP address. And you don't have to give it any other personal information for it to understand how you are being surveilled. All it needs to know is what apps you use, how you pay for groceries, if you get spam emails often, or if you're a current college student (it doesn't even need to know where you go to school).

That's intentional, explained Hana Memon, Gen Z For Change digital strategist, organizer, and Eyes on AI creator. In keeping with its own principals, the resource doesn't ask the user to supply any personally identifiable information that could be scraped and used by an outside party, such as race or immigration status, but it can still figure out a lot about you and your digital hygiene.

"The goal is to show how every part of your life, from how you travel, what religious apps you use, your healthcare provider, is all connected in a web of surveillance," Memon said.

The tool doesn't save any user inputs or reports. Everything is done locally and run in JavaScript, and Gen Z For Change is offering it up to the public on GitHub.

Young people have been used as lab rats by these companies. - Cheyenne Hunt

Eyes on AI pulls information from digital privacy watchdogs, like Surveillance Watch's interactive databases, the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Atlas of Surveillance, and Tech Equity's labor resources, including explainers on bossware, or tech used to spy on employees. The tool was built over the course of several months, by a team of a little more than a dozen Gen Z organizers, coders, and activists.

Eyes on AI cleverly walks users through the numerous ways their lives are being recorded and sold to surveillance apparatuses. Then, they are given the option to download a full report, complete with recommendations to curb personal data collection, resources about surveillance threats, and a glossary of some of the top surveillance actors who may be dealing in their data, including ICE and other government entities. Your personalized threats are categorized by the tech itself, like if you're at risk due to automated license plate readers (ALPRs) or predictive policing. 

Credit: Gen Z For Change Credit: Gen Z For Change

Gen Z For Change has evolved a lot since its initial conception in 2020 as a youth-led, social media-focused, movement builder. The organization sees strategic coding as a weapon against political and tech oligarchies that have unabashedly wielded their influence to amass power under what Hunt referred to as "Trump 2.0." The mass acceleration of AI, she said, has only made it worse. 

Gen Z For Change has been behind many of the viral tools used by online organizers. Last year, they launched a resource to help pressure hotels to refuse boarding ICE agents. The group's team and affiliated creator network were working behind the scenes to galvanize votes for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani. Previous coding campaigns include the Gen Z for Palestine resource hub, immigration resource toolkit F.I.G.H.T,, and abortion organizing tool S.A.F.E.R.

"Made with ❤️ by gen-z for change's meddling kids," the site reads.

On the ground, the organization is prepping for a massive activation that will see their creator network — a group of politically-connected creators with a collective 500 million followers — warning their viewers and loved ones about surveillance capitalism. Posters and billboards will be emblazoned across major cities. A massive 1984-style warning will soon be projected on the side of the Brooklyn Bridge, featuring Demetz's own leering eyeball. It'll be matched by a policy push at the federal level, too. The country still has no comprehensive privacy regulation on the books.

Lending their time — and retinal data — to the project, the team is implementing their own Eyes on AI recommendations to keep their work protected, including deferring to encrypted messaging platforms, sweeping their information from data brokers, and paying careful attention to how they move through public spaces.

"Young people have been used as lab rats by these companies," said Hunt. Gen Z For Changes wants to help the rats fight back.

Windows has a lot of random settings that most of us never dig our way to. For some of them, that's actually a good thing, and one of them is "Turn off write-cache buffer flushing."