Wary public urged to use smartphone tech to track COVID-19 exposure
Downloadable apps and operating system updates can help public health officials measure the spread of coronavirus, if a wary public "opts in"
Tech Security & Privacy
Amazon pauses police use of its facial recognition software for year
The company said it hopes Congress will pass a law governing responsible use of the technology.
As workers return to jobs, "stakes have never been higher"
Managers may be used to decisions that determine the life or death of a company. But the life or death of an employee?
Bots are spreading COVID-19 misinformation
Bots have dominated the Twitter discussion about "reopening America," tech researchers say.
Facebook follows Zoom boom with new video chat app
Facebook says its new Messenger Rooms group chat feature will be "very secure and encrypted."
Hackers may be using viral senior photo Facebook posts against you
"Once your data is in the wild, it stays in the wild and can be used by any number of unscrupulous characters," said CNET's Dan Patterson.
Zoom looks to fix major security shortcomings
Zoom's CEO said conferencing company will freeze certain features for 90 days to work on strengthening its security.
Marriott reveals second big data breach in two years
Marriott said 5.2 million hotel guests may have had their personal information accessed dating back to mid-January.
Google secretly monitors millions of schoolkids: lawsuit
New Mexico AG claims the company uses its dominance in educational software to track millions of future customers.
Job hunters face a new hurdle: Impressing AI
Artificial intelligence is increasingly deciding whether you're fit for a job, but some experts call it "snake oil."
Your hacked Wawa data now for sale on dark web
Wawa admitted that people's personal data are being peddled and urged customers to monitor their bank transactions.
Why identity theft is "so easy" and what consumers can do
The Identity Theft Research Center warned about a 17% jump in data breaches in 2019. What can you do to protect your information?
Google CEO: AI's "negative consequences" need regulating
Tech chief acknowledges "nefarious" risks in face-recognition and other programs that can beat humans to the punch.
Twitter suspends Grindr over privacy concerns
Dating apps gave advertisers data about user "personalities, predispositions and secret desires," privacy group claims.
NSA identifies "critical vulnerability" in Microsoft Windows 10
Microsoft released its patch on Tuesday.
Google speakers can "vacuum up" personal data, lawsuit says
Speaker company's suit echoes a growing number of antitrust complaints about Google's entering new markets.
Facebook bans "deepfake" videos, with exceptions
The social media giant said it would ban "deepfake" videos made using artificial intelligence, as long as they're not satire and might mislead "an average person."
California is expanding digital privacy. Will people use it?
A new law will allow 1 in 10 Americans to review the personal data collected on them by large corporations.
Personal loans may require more personal info than you think
Sharing your work history or college major can help — or limit access to money for low- and middle-income people
California data privacy law to hit businesses across U.S.
The new law gives consumers control over the personal information companies collect, store and often share with others.
Hackers target home cameras: "I'm coming for your baby"
Amazon's Ring service says "malicious actors" have obtained some user passwords and gained access to their accounts.
Kids smartwatches sold on Amazon can be hacked
Cybersecurity experts purchased and reviewed poorly secured devices that come with default passwords like "123456."
U.S. uses surveillance cameras just as much as China, report says
In China, there's one camera for every 4.1 people, a report finds. In the U.S., it's one camera for every 4.6.
Your smart TV might be spying on you, FBI warns
Hackers can take over your TV set to change channels, turn up volume or cyberstalk through its microphone and camera.
Macy's customer data stolen after online store hacked
Retailer says "highly sophisticated" data breach potentially exposed some online shoppers' credit card information
Technology
Technology
Mother of Musk child sues over deepfake images
Elon Musk is facing a lawsuit from Ashley St. Clair, with whom he shares a child, over deepfakes of her undressed made by his AI chatbot Grok. CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson joins with analysis.
Verizon offers customers $20 credit for widespread outage
Verizon says it's giving a $20 credit to customers affected an outage that disrupted service across the U.S.
How AI powered robots are helping small farms
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
New parental controls on YouTube kid accounts
YouTube is introducing new parental controls on youth accounts that it says could limit how long kinds spend scrolling. The latest parental controls will focus on YouTube Shorts, which utilizes a continuous scrolling video feed featuring videos three minutes and shorter. Parents of kid and teen account users are now able to enact time restrictions that will limit how long their children can scroll.
Details on Verizon cell phone outage
A widespread Verizon outage hit the U.S. on Wednesday, leaving thousands of customers without service. CBS News' Karen Hua has more.
Smart home security tips for personal and cyber protection
ZDNet Editor-in-Chief Jason Hiner explains best practices for setup and success of smart home security systems.
Apple, Google face pressure to remove X and Grok from their app stores
Grok faces mounting scrutiny from government officials and advocacy groups after people used the AI chatbot to create sexualized images of minors and women.
ChatGPT served as "suicide coach" in man's death, lawsuit alleges
Mother of Colorado man who committed suicide in 2025 alleges that OpenAI's AI chatbot told him death was a "beautiful place."
"Are You Dead," viral Chinese app, changing its name
The Chinese mobile app "Are You Dead?" which sounds an alarm if a user doesn't check in every 48 hours, says it will drop its catchy name after it drew international media attention.
U.S.
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ACA enrollment ends today in most states, as tax credit fix stalls
Some Americans are dropping their Affordable Care Act health plans after tax subsidies lapsed and their premiums spiked.
Sidelining of DOJ's Civil Rights Division in ICE shooting is unusual, experts say
Though DOJ says there's "no basis" for criminal civil rights probe in ICE shooting case, some legal experts say the division's lack of involvement here is unheard of.
Mortgage rates fall to 3-year low, offering relief for homebuyers
The average interest rate on a typical mortgage dipped to 6.06%, the lowest level since September 2022, according to Freddie Mac.
What is the Insurrection Act, and why is Trump threatening to invoke it?
President Trump is threatening to invoke a centuries-old law to deploy troops to Minnesota. Here's what to know.
Bankruptcy filings surged last year. Here's what's behind the rise
The increase in bankruptcy filings comes as Americans face a slate of economic pressures, from sticky inflation to elevated borrowing costs.
MoneyWatch
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ACA enrollment ends today in most states, as tax credit fix stalls
Some Americans are dropping their Affordable Care Act health plans after tax subsidies lapsed and their premiums spiked.
Mortgage rates fall to 3-year low, offering relief for homebuyers
The average interest rate on a typical mortgage dipped to 6.06%, the lowest level since September 2022, according to Freddie Mac.
Bankruptcy filings surged last year. Here's what's behind the rise
The increase in bankruptcy filings comes as Americans face a slate of economic pressures, from sticky inflation to elevated borrowing costs.
Senators say bipartisan compromise on ACA tax credits has stalled
"We are in a little bit of a pothole," said GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno, who previously expected the compromise to be unveiled this week.
How the new $6,000 senior tax deduction could impact older Americans
A new tax deduction for senior citizens is kicking in this tax season, potentially providing bigger refunds to millions, the AARP says.
Politics
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Gulf states engaged in intensive diplomacy to avert U.S.-Iran conflict, official says
Several key U.S. allies in the Middle East have engaged in intensive diplomacy between Iran and the United States, aiming to stave off a military conflict, a Gulf official told CBS News.
Sidelining of DOJ's Civil Rights Division in ICE shooting is unusual, experts say
Though DOJ says there's "no basis" for criminal civil rights probe in ICE shooting case, some legal experts say the division's lack of involvement here is unheard of.
What is the Insurrection Act, and why is Trump threatening to invoke it?
President Trump is threatening to invoke a centuries-old law to deploy troops to Minnesota. Here's what to know.
Senators say bipartisan compromise on ACA tax credits has stalled
"We are in a little bit of a pothole," said GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno, who previously expected the compromise to be unveiled this week.
U.S. and Taiwan reach deal lowering tariffs to 15%, boosting chip financing
Taiwan is responsible for the majority of the world's semiconductor chips.
HealthWatch
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ACA enrollment ends today in most states, as tax credit fix stalls
Some Americans are dropping their Affordable Care Act health plans after tax subsidies lapsed and their premiums spiked.
Trump admin. reverses sudden cuts in mental health, addiction programs
The Trump administration reversed cuts to grants for mental health and addiction treatment programs that a CBS News source said were valued at around $1.9 billion.
Chicago mayor explains how he's tackling the city's life expectancy gap
In 2023, life expectancy in the Loop was 87.3 years, while in West Garfield Park, life expectancy was just 66.6 years, according to the city's Health Department.
Recalled "super greens" supplement linked to dozens of salmonella cases, CDC says
Illnesses linked to the New York-based Live it Up Super Greens brand powder were reported in 21 states from Aug. 22 to Dec. 30, 2025.
Wide variation found in funding for states' rural health proposals
Every state will receive at least $100 million annually from the federal Rural Health Transformation fund, but some scored millions more based on their plans and willingness to pass policies embracing MAHA initiatives.
World
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Gulf states engaged in intensive diplomacy to avert U.S.-Iran conflict, official says
Several key U.S. allies in the Middle East have engaged in intensive diplomacy between Iran and the United States, aiming to stave off a military conflict, a Gulf official told CBS News.
Drug ring used swimmers to stash cocaine on ships at sea, police say
Police said they had busted a network that saw smugglers swim on the high seas to help stash Colombian cocaine on container ships and hijack vessels.
Russia calls NATO "unpredictable" amid divide over Greenland
As NATO prepares for war games around Greenland, Russia is highlighting the Trump administration's disagreement with its closest allies over the island.
U.S. forces seize sixth Venezuela-linked oil tanker
The seizure comes as President Trump is set to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado Thursday at the White House.
FIFA says it's received more than 500 million World Cup ticket requests
FIFA says it has received over 500 million ticket requests for 2026 World Cup matches in the U.S., Canada and Mexico— with prices as high as $8,680.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
Behind Ron King's mission to protect donkeys
Oscar's Place, a donkey sanctuary in California, now has 210 donkeys and it has successfully resettled 189 others. Ron King, the co-founder and CEO of the sanctuary, helped to create the new docuseries "Donkey King," which follows the work he and volunteers do to rescue, rehabilitate and resettle the animals to protect them. He speaks to "CBS Mornings" about his mission and why he says donkeys are misunderstood.
Actor Timothy Busfield held without bond in New Mexico child sex abuse case
Another allegation against Busfield was reported to law enforcement the same day he turned himself in, according to a court filing.
Stars of "Sinners" talk about movie
"Sinners" stars Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton and Wunmi Mosaku talk to "CBS Mornings" about the movie's recent success at the Golden Globes, the atmosphere on set and what they learned through the process.
Ali Larter talks what's ahead in "Landman"
Actor Ali Larter plays Angela Harris, the ex-wife of an oilman played by Billy Bob Thornton in the Paramount+ series "Landman." She talks to "CBS Mornings" about the series, working with Thornton and how she landed her role.
Actor Timothy Busfield turns himself in following child sex abuse allegations
In a video provided to TMZ on Tuesday, Timothy Busfield said the allegations "are all lies."
Technology
More Technology
Technology
Mother of Musk child sues over deepfake images
Elon Musk is facing a lawsuit from Ashley St. Clair, with whom he shares a child, over deepfakes of her undressed made by his AI chatbot Grok. CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson joins with analysis.
Verizon offers customers $20 credit for widespread outage
Verizon says it's giving a $20 credit to customers affected an outage that disrupted service across the U.S.
How AI powered robots are helping small farms
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
New parental controls on YouTube kid accounts
YouTube is introducing new parental controls on youth accounts that it says could limit how long kinds spend scrolling. The latest parental controls will focus on YouTube Shorts, which utilizes a continuous scrolling video feed featuring videos three minutes and shorter. Parents of kid and teen account users are now able to enact time restrictions that will limit how long their children can scroll.
Details on Verizon cell phone outage
A widespread Verizon outage hit the U.S. on Wednesday, leaving thousands of customers without service. CBS News' Karen Hua has more.
Science
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Fossils found in cave shed light on where our species emerged
Fossilized bones and teeth dating to 773,000 years ago are providing a deeper understanding of the emergence of Homo sapiens.
The history and mystery of kissing
If you rang in the new year with a kiss, you took part in a tradition millions of years in the making. Scientists now say the origins of kissing go back much farther than most think. CBS News' Tina Kraus has more.
2025 was so hot it pushed Earth past critical climate change mark
2025 was the third hottest year on record and pushed Earth past a critical climate change mark, scientists say.
Major climate research center on Trump administration chopping block
The Trump administration intends to dismantle one of the world's leading climate research institutions, in Boulder, Colorado, over what it said were concerns about "climate alarmism."
Researchers capture video of rare polar bear adoption
The footage of a bear caring for an adopted cub was captured during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay in Churchill, Manitoba.
Crime
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Crime
26 charged in college basketball gambling scheme
Federal prosecutors have charged 26 people, including many college basketball players, in an illegal gambling probe. Danny Funt, author of "Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of Sports Gambling," joins to unpack the alleged scheme.
Busfield held without bond in child sex abuse case
Actor Timothy Busfield is being held without bond in his New Mexico child sex abuse case. Busfield denies the charges. CBS News reporter Andres Gutierrez has more.
Drug ring used swimmers to stash cocaine on ships at sea, police say
Police said they had busted a network that saw smugglers swim on the high seas to help stash Colombian cocaine on container ships and hijack vessels.
Man convicted of killing Uber driver who he thought was robbing him
William J. Brock fatally shot the driver after wrongly assuming she was in on a plot to get $12,000 in supposed bond money for a relative, authorities said.
College basketball rigging allegations
A newly unsealed indictment details an apparent point-shaving scheme involving college basketball players. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane reports.
Space
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Space
Astronauts return after mission cut short
A NASA crew splashed down off the coast of California on Thursday weeks earlier than scheduled due to an astronaut aboard the International Space Station dealing with a medical issue. Mark Strassmann reports on the unprecedented mission home.
Astronauts back on Earth after medical issue cut mission short
Four space station Crew 11 fliers splashed down off the Southern California coast at 3:41 a.m. ET, closing out a 167-day stay in space cut short by a medical issue.
Former NASA astronaut on ISS undocking
The members of SpaceX Crew-11 undocked from the International Space Station on Wednesday, beginning their journey back to Earth. The crew is leaving a month early after NASA announced that an unnamed team member experienced an undisclosed "medical concern." Clayton Anderson, a former NASA astronaut who spent time on the ISS, joins "The Daily Report" to discuss.
ISS astronauts prepare for early return
Crew-11 is preparing for an unprecedented early return to Earth over concerns for an astronaut's medical condition aboard the International Space Station. Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut and engineering professor at Columbia University, joins with more.
Former astronaut on ISS crew coming home early
Four members of Crew-11 are preparing to return to Earth from the International Space Station later this week after a "medical concern" prompted NASA to cancel a scheduled spacewalk. Former astronaut Dr. Scott Parazynski joins with his reaction.
Latest Galleries
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Notable Deaths in 2025
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Evidence in the Barbara Kendhammer case
Does the evidence show a cover-up, or was Todd Kendhammer wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife?
The life & near death of prizefighter Christy Salters-Martin
Christy Salters-Martin dominated in the boxing ring but faced her toughest challenger at home.
Timeline: The disappearance of George Smith
Family seeks answers in death of newlywed who disappeared in 2005 while on Mediterranean honeymoon cruise.
Who is Alix Tichelman?
Meet the tattooed beauty charged in the death of Google executive Forrest Hayes.
Latest CBS News Videos
More Latest CBS News Videos
Latest CBS News Videos
Virginia Democrats move forward to redraw map
Virginia Democrats are moving ahead with a plan to redraw the Old Dominion's congressional maps that could net them up to four more House seats. CBS News political reporter Hunter Woodall has the details.
5 Democrats say they're being probed for video
Five congressional Democrats who appeared in a video urging service members to refuse unlawful orders say they are under investigation. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has the latest.
Mother of Musk child sues over deepfake images
Elon Musk is facing a lawsuit from Ashley St. Clair, with whom he shares a child, over deepfakes of her undressed made by his AI chatbot Grok. CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson joins with analysis.
26 charged in college basketball gambling scheme
Federal prosecutors have charged 26 people, including many college basketball players, in an illegal gambling probe. Danny Funt, author of "Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of Sports Gambling," joins to unpack the alleged scheme.
Walz asks Trump to "turn the temperature down"
In the wake of the latest wave of unrest in Minneapolis, President Trump is threatening to use the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to the city. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is now making a direct appeal to the president. CBS News correspondent Lana Zak has the latest.